During this event, author and teacher Naila Moreira will share all about her novel The Monarchs of Winghaven and teach us about monarch caterpillars & butterflies! Then all will participate in a monarch butterfly release, followed by a tour of Green Briar Nature Center’s wildflower garden - full of dazzling pollinators and fluttering butterflies in their element. After that, each child will build their very own butterfly house to bring home - so you can support local butterfly populations too!

This event is part of Titcomb's Bookshop's Young Naturalist Series, sharing children's books about nature and how kids and families can engage with the world around them with imagination and care.

This is a free event with a suggested donation to Green Briar Nature Center. There is limited capacity, so registration is required. Please register as early as possible!

Each child’s registration includes:

• Participation in the butterfly house craft - to be made at the event, that you can bring home!
• A special treat made in Green Briar Nature Center’s Jam Kitchen (please let us know if you have any allergies)

Books will be for sale at the event, and Moreira will sign them after her presentation. If you cannot attend but would like a signed copy of the book, please order on Titcomb’s Bookshop’s website.

Please Note: Carpooling is highly encouraged due to parking capacity.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Young naturalist Sammie loves to do field research in a special stretch of wilderness in the suburbs—but now she must protect it. Science and heart combine in this engaging story.

Sammie, a budding naturalist, knows of a secret and wonderful place: Winghaven, an abandoned lot in the middle of the suburbs where wildlife flourishes. She spends hours making notes and drawings in her meticulous field journal. When Bram, a new boy, turns up with his camera, Sammie worries he’ll give away her hidden haven—after all, the other boys at school bully her. But Bram is a scientist like Sammie, and together they observe tiny pond creatures, a pileated woodpecker with a red crest like a pirate’s bandana, and thriving monarch butterflies whose habitats are becoming scarce. When Sammie and Bram discover bright flagging tape encircling the trees, they learn Winghaven is in danger from a local developer—and it’s going to take courage, spirit, and science to save it. This beautifully written story, full of details about the natural world, includes Sammie’s field illustrations as well as real-life notes on keeping a nature journal, studying monarchs, and bird-watching.

“In this gently passionate tribute to natural spaces, a children’s debut, Moreira adeptly brings the setting to life via detailed descriptions of wildlife and foliage alongside pen illustrations from Sammie’s journal. Grounding environmental awareness and deforestation worries with Sammie’s personal struggles surrounding dealing with bullies and managing her temper, Moreira delivers a fulfilling tale.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Two children discover that a love of nature can change lives. . . . This story contains genuine tension (a threat to Winghaven’s existence), as well as accurate scientific information about the plants, birds, and insects of a New England landscape; it also includes nuanced characterization and relatable themes. . . Perhaps most importantly, though, the ending is immensely satisfying and encouraging for readers. . . . Empowering.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Nature journalists, sharpen your pencils. Follow Sammie and Bram as they trek into the wilderness of Winghaven and intrepidly model citizen science and activism for young readers. This meticulously researched eco-novel meets the moment and shows us how a connection to the natural world inspires connections between us all.” —Elaine Dimopoulos, author of The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Naila Moreira is the author of the children’s eco-novel THE MONARCHS OF WINGHAVEN (Walker Books US, 2024) and the nature poetry collection WATER STREET (Finishing Line Press, 2017). Her bird-and-nature watching and her work as a geologist have taken her to the coasts, forests and grasslands of New England, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Brazil. Through it all, she’s kept her pen busy writing about her adventures. A former artist-in-residence at the Shoals Marine Laboratory in Maine, Naila Moreira now teaches at Smith College in Massachusetts, where she lives with her family. Visit her online at www.nailamoreira.com or Instagram @naila_fin.