Butterfly on the Wind - by Adam Pottle (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A magical picture book about a Deaf girl who creates a butterfly with Sign Language and sends it on a journey around the world.

On the day of the talent show, Aurora's hands tremble. No matter how hard she tries to sign, her fingers stumble over one another and the words just won't come. But as she's about to give up, she spots a butterfly.

Using her hands to sign the ASL word for "butterfly," Aurora sends a magical butterfly of her own into the world, inspiring Deaf people across the globe to add their own. The butterflies grow in numbers and strength as they circle back to Aurora, bolstering her with the love and support of her worldwide Deaf community.

Deaf picture book creators author Adam Pottle and artist Ziyue Chen combine powerful text and sweeping art into a moving story of resilience and self-belief.

Review Quotes

A Bookstagang Best of the Year Picture Book Award Winner
A High Plains Book Awards Winner
Saskatchewan Book Award Shortlist - Children's Literature

"This story shows that the slight wind created by signing may seem small but can subtly transform the world... The brightly colored illustrations lovingly capture the characters' signing as butterflies swirl across the pages." -Kirkus

"A buoyant story." -Publishers Weekly

"Butterfly on the Wind is a beautiful story that captures the power of language and community. Deaf picture book creators Pottle and Chen will inspire d/Deaf readers with their imagery via the traveling butterfly and the elegance of American Sign Language." -Erika B. Gagnon, AuD, CCC-A, Pediatric Audiologist

About the Author

Born Deaf and raised in a hearing family, Adam Pottle spent much of his childhood searching for magical portals and pretending to be Godzilla. He is an award-winning Canadian writer, with books in multiple genres, including the acclaimed memoir Voice and the adult novel The Bus. His groundbreaking fantasy play The Black Drum was performed to rave reviews in Canada and France and is the world's first all-Deaf musical. He has a PhD in English Literature and has taught English and Creative Writing for nearly twenty years. When not writing, he is usually found at the boxing gym, the library, or at the park with his wife Deborah and his goldendoodle Valkyrie.

Born Deaf and raised in sunny island, Singapore, Ziyue [pronounced as Zzz yuair] Chen lives with her husband and her two darling children. Her life goal has been to have an emotional connection with those who view her work. She loves visualizing stories through illustrations, working on mostly children's books that resonate with her personal life experience.