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Paper Butterflies Paperback – May 7, 2019

by Lisa Heathfield (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 71 ratings
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June's life at home with her stepmother and stepsister is a dark one―and a secret one. Not even her dad knows the truth, and she can't find the words to tell anyone else. She's trapped like a butterfly in a net. Then June meets Blister, a boy from a large, loving, chaotic family. In him, she finds a glimmer of hope that perhaps she can find a way to fly far, far away. Because she deserves her freedom. Doesn't she?

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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    12 - 18 years
  2. Print length
    272 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    7 - 12
  5. Lexile measure
    520
  6. Dimensions
    5 x 0.9 x 8 inches
  7. Publisher
    Lerner Publishing Group
  8. Publication date
    May 7, 2019
  9. ISBN-10
    1541560426
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1541560420
  11. See all details
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From the Publisher

Chapter 1, Page 1

B E F O R E

ten years old

“Drink it.” She’s holding the glass out to me. It’s so full that if she tipped her hand just a bit the water would trickle down the side. “Now.”

“But I’m not thirsty.” I want my voice to be big, but it’s just a whisper.

Kathleen bends so low that her eyes are level with mine. Her eyelashes are black. The blush on her cheeks is too red, like two little apples sitting in puddles of cream.

“Drink it,” she says again.

My bladder is full. She hasn’t let me use the toilet since I got up this morning and I’ve already had my glass of warm milk.

I reach out my hand. I wish I didn’t touch her cold fingers as she passes it to me.

She watches as I bring the glass to my mouth, as I tilt it against my lips and begin to drink. My throat tries to squeeze shut. My body doesn’t want it. But the water flows down and into my stomach.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] beautifully heartbreaking story . . ."―VOYA



"A good selection for large libraries serving young adults."―School Library Journal



"June's story is all the more heartbreaking because her visceral account, though fiction, is undoubtedly a reality for children suffering from abuse behind closed doors. . . . [T]his novel, a 2017 Carnegie Medal nominee in Great Britain, manages to end on a hopeful note."―Booklist



"A harrowing account of abuse, retaliation and love against the odds. . . . [R]eaders feeling tough enough to traverse Heathfield's dark places will find transporting joy in her interludes of sunlight."―The Guardian

About the Author

Lisa Heathfield is an award-winning author and a former high school English teacher. She lives with her family in Brighton, England.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lerner Publishing Group; Reprint edition (May 7, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1541560426
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1541560420
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 - 18 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 520
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 12
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.9 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 71 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
71 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
A heartfelt, beautifully written story that explores how fear can stifle your voice and destroy you inside out. The author brought to life the story of an abused little girl and the effects the abuse had on her. It was also a story of friendship and forgiveness. You will cry reading this story but you won't be disappointed.
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Natasha Echols
5.0 out of 5 stars Really Good Book
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2021
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This book was really good it was so sad and so hard not to cry. Did cry a couple of time thought because it was an amazing book and there’s was a really good plot twist at the end totally recommend it!
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Kourtni R.
4.0 out of 5 stars A heartbreaking, yet hopeful story
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2017
Paper Butterflies is not a very happy book. June’s life is incredibly difficult: she’s abused by her stepmother, bullied at school, and all but forgotten by her father. However, Paper Butterflies offers a captivating story that, although difficult to read at times, still remains hopeful and has plenty of uplifting moments that will make you smile.

As you might be able to guess, this book is not a good choice for readers who have a hard time reading about difficult topics, especially child abuse and bullying. June’s mother died when she was young and her stepmom is abusive. In addition to that, she’s bullied by kids at school, leaving her lonely and hurting for much of the novel. Luckily, she meets Blister, a young boy who she finds comfort with. I absolutely loved their friendship. It comes so naturally to them and I loved their eccentric, yet heartwarming, interactions.

You can probably imagine that Paper Butterflies is a very emotional story. I’ll tell you this: I almost never cry when reading books, but the end of this book had me bawling my eyes out. It was just so heartbreaking and emotional and I couldn’t hold back the tears! As June’s story progresses and you see more and more of what she goes through, you’ll absolutely want to have a box of tissues on hand because you’ll need them.

Heathfield has a really unique writing voice which, for the most part, I very much enjoyed. The writing is very simplistic and straightforward, yet still engrossing and able to wonderfully tell June’s story. My one complaint about it is that it does make June’s voice seem younger than it is at times. I thought it worked very well for ten-year-old June, but later in the book, when she’s sixteen, it did make her seem younger. All in all, though, I really liked this style. Even with its simplicity, it still had plenty of beautiful phrases and, like I said, still tells the story very well.

One other complaint I have is that I think it would’ve been nice for the ways in which June’s race impacts her life to be explored a bit more. Although June is Black, the rest of her family is white and of course, it’s mentioned, but I wanted a deeper exploration of it. I think this would’ve been better left to a Black author anyway, but I still would’ve liked some sort of acknowledgment that June being Black influences the way that other people and institutions reacted to her and treated her and her situation.

As I mentioned, readers really get to see June go through a lot throughout the book. Perhaps the best thing, though, was seeing her slowly but surely accept herself even in the face of incomprehensible cruelty. Even though it seems as if the whole world is telling her that she doesn’t matter, she still learns that she does matter and her life is worth something. It’s this aspect of June’s story that I think will really resonate with and bring hope to many readers.

When it comes down to it, Paper Butterflies is a wonderful exploration of what it means to be yourself and remain strong in the face of unimaginable hardships. June’s story will surely make you cry, but you’ll also find yourself smiling and laughing along with her in her happier moments. If this sounds like something you might enjoy, I highly recommend picking it up because it will not disappoint.

I volunteered to honestly review a copy of the book sent to me by the publisher.
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jide afolabi
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding book
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2021
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This book !are me cry and it made me think that the world is not always as it seems,I haven't read a book that gripped me the way that this one did
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Huckleberry
5.0 out of 5 stars Sad...
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is the saddest book I've ever read, bar none. I never cry over books but I certainly did cry over this one. Trigger warnings are in order for child abuse. But a great book, brilliant writing.
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Fay
5.0 out of 5 stars I'm only half way through this, wish I had ...
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2018
Verified Purchase
I'm only half way through this, wish I had a decent amount of time to just sit in one session to finish. Survival mode!
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Jey Arbie
5.0 out of 5 stars Storytelling Masterclass on Tragedy and Trauma
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2020
Had this one and SEED (Heathfield's debut) gathering dust on my shelf for a while now, as several other unread books from wild hauls at the bookshop do -- many avid readers will attest to that little thing we all do-- but little did I know I'd been sleeping on an absolute gem for that long.
As an author with a slew of similarly 'broken' and pained characters in his roster, this book was a storytelling nirvana, an experience I'd recommend any writer to dive into. It unpacked trauma and tragedy in their purest, raw-boned forms, like no other YA did (at least, the ones I've read).
The world of June, paper-girl, is one that is arrayed with knives, and while she trudges through it you feel for her. You experience the stabs and cuts along with her, and it sure can get overwhelming to many. But deftly, Heathfield's work circumvents this route of torture porn so many other authors have taken to moseying out and about for sheer shock value. The violence inflicted upon this character is strung high, yes, but always honest and didactic, remaining germane to the racism and caustic marginalization that whack at full pelt.
Of course, silver linings are there, and wonderfully embodied so through characters like Blister and his family, who provide just the right amount of respite to June, as well as us.

And with that, I say THANK YOU, Heathfield. Your PAPER BUTTERFLIES crushed my heart and it's going to take a while to unkink. But while it does, I'm going to read into the new folds and learn.
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basSuenist
4.0 out of 5 stars Hard to believe
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2020
I enjoyed the writing and the characters were brought to life. Some of the situations were hard to believe but my life hasn’t been exposed to so much hatred. This would be a good book for someone wanting to understand abuse.
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Top reviews from other countries

M
4.0 out of 5 stars Book is amazing, layout not so much.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2020
Verified Purchase
Just started the book... It is amazing! Only slight issue is that the text does not seem to be printed in the centre of the page more to the very edge. Don't know if it is just mine though.
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M
4.0 out of 5 stars Book is amazing, layout not so much.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2020
Just started the book... It is amazing! Only slight issue is that the text does not seem to be printed in the centre of the page more to the very edge. Don't know if it is just mine though.
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