Welcome to Litsy!

“'And your rebozo is the swaddle for the butterflies. You are now their protector and are inseparably connected to them'“

I believe this book would be ideal for 4th or 5th graders because developmentally they are able to look past what is real and not real and appreciate the fantasy aspects of this book. I also think this could be used as just an independent read for any student or even as a whole class read-aloud.

This book is speculative fiction because it uses the important traits of fantasy fiction to tell the story. It also uses the essential use of magical powers to carry the plot along and also the overarching plot point of the journey the main character takes in order to save her kingdom. These themes play a huge role in the book because, without them, there would be a lot of holes not filled in the plot that can be addressed by the use of powers.

“I advise you to tell no one about the gift unless you trust them implicitly.“

I would use this book with older elementary students (4-5) to discuss what fantasy fiction is, the importance of being committed to doing the right thing, being honorable and responsible, what it means to have courage, and to teach them about some aspects of Latino culture, such as what a quinceanera is. I think this book would be good to use in book clubs, as it can expose students to a new genre of literature they might not be familiar with.

The book “Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs“ is considered fantasy fiction in the realm of speculative fiction. The reason why this book is considered a fantasy fiction is due to its setting as an imaginary universe of the oyamel forest, its magical butterfly creatures/pet bird Lazaro/rag doll Zarita/river boy, and the treacherous adventure that Solimar takes and must act quickly to save her kingdom from being taken over by a neighboring king.

While preparing for her Quincenera, Princess Solimar finds her kingdom under attack leading her on a fantastical journey to save it in this magical story of Latin culture that encompasses family and traditions