Monique is a little girl who lives in Choisy-le Roi, France with her where everyone is on pens and needles because the Nazi’s are all around. Recently in the middle of the night she has been waking up to see a ghostly figure sitting at the end of her bed. One night she gets a chance to talk to the ghostly figure and finds out that her name is Sevrine and she lives in a cellar at Monique’s house because they are hiding from the Nazi’s. The girls start to become best friends but Monique isn’t allowed to tell anybody but her mother. At night time Monique brings a gift to Sevrine to help her remember what the outside world looks, smells and feels like. One night Monique brings Sevrine a butterfly. It makes Sevrine sad that she is not able to experience these gifts in the natural world but Monique reminds her that eventually she will be free just like that butterfly. As the girls are setting the butterfly free they realize a neighbor has seen them. Immediately, they have to tell Monique’s mother because someone has found out about Sevrine and her family. If fright of being caught by the Nazi’s everybody including Monique and her mother must flee the house. At this time Sevrine, Monique and her mother must split up from Sevrine’s parents in attempt to make it to Swiss border. Read more to find out if Sevrine and her family make it to the border to become free as a butterfly.
After reading this book, I would explain to them how brave and trustworthy Monique had to be by having Sevrine live in her cellar. Then I would partner the students up with someone else in the classroom. I would have the students draw a picture of their partner and use adjectives to describe them. Once everybody had completed the assignment I would have the students share with the rest of the class the positive characteristics they found in their classmate.
