Los Mapas de la Memoria (the Maps of Memory) - (The Butterfly Hill) by Marjorie Agosin (Paperback)

About the Book

After fourteen-year-old Celeste Marconi returns to Valparaâiso from Maine, she decides to uncover the truth about what happened in Cerro Mariposa during the dictatorship and find her missing friend, Lucila.

Book Synopsis

In this "captivating and exquisite" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) sequel to the Pura Belpré Award-winning I Lived on Butterfly Hill, thirteen-year-old Celeste Marconi returns home to Chile and after the dictator is removed, and makes it her mission to rebuild her community and find those who are still missing.

During Celeste Marconi's time in Maine, thoughts of the brightly colored cafes and salty air of Valparaíso, Chile, carried her through difficult, homesick days. Now, she's finally returned home to find the horrible years of the dictatorship has left its mark on her once beautiful and vibrant community.

Determined to help her beloved Butterfly Hill, she encourages and joins her neighbors in fighting to regain what they've lost. But more than anything, Celeste wishes she could find her best friend, Lucilla, who was one of thousands of people who "disappeared" during the dictatorship, who hasn't been heard from in over a year. She joins protests for information, but the trail seems cold--until she receives a letter that changes everything.

This sets Celeste off on her biggest adventure yet, where she'll uncover more heartbreaking truths of what her country has endured. But every small victory makes a difference, and even if Butterfly Hill can never be what it was, moving forward and healing can make it something even better.

About the Author

Marjorie Agosín is the Pura Belpré Award-winning author of I Lived on Butterfly Hill and The Maps of Memory. Raised in Chile, her family moved to the United States to escape the horrors of the Pinochet takeover of their country. She has received the Letras de Oro Prize for her poetry, and her writings about--and humanitarian work for--women in Chile have been the focus of feature articles in The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and Ms. magazine. She has also won the Latino Literature Prize for her poetry. She is a Spanish professor at Wellesley College.

Lee White lives with his wife and their three crazy cats in Portland, Oregon, and you can visit him online at LeeWhiteIllustration.com.

Alison Ridley is a professor of Spanish at Hollins University, having completed her PhD at Michigan State University. She has translated a number of novels, including Marjorie Agosín's Pura Belpré Award-winning I Lived on Butterfly Hill.