Title: Penny Butterfly Finds a Friend
Author: Anna St. Claire
Genre: Children’s Books
Book Blurb:
My name is Penny Butterfly and I need to find my way home…
When Penny B emerges from her cocoon, she discovers she’s no longer a green caterpillar, but a beautiful blue butterfly with wings—and can fly! The world is full of wonderful things to see and explore, but Penny misses her family very much. Maybe her new friends can help her find her way home to Fairyland…
Penny Butterfly Finds a Friend is a whimsical fairy tale for children that captures the spirit of friendship and teaches that kindness and compassion come from the heart.
Excerpt:
The pretty brown-haired girl seems nice, Penny B thought as she looked at the girl’s smiling face. I wonder if she would be my friend. She fluttered her wings as she gave this some thought. Maybe I should make new friends. After all, how am I going to get home if I have no one to help me? Well, here goes. Flapping her blue wings, Penny B flew towards the little girl and landed on her arm.
“Look, Peyton, the butterfly likes you,” her mother said.
“Are you a fairy?” asked Penny B.
“No, I’m a little girl. My name is Peyton,” the girl replied. “What is your name?”
“My name is Penny B, and I am a blue butterfly,” she said. “My mama named me Penny for good luck—just like a penny,” she added. “The B stands for Butterfly.”
“Oh! She can talk!” exclaimed Peyton’s mother.
“I come from a big family with lots of brothers and sisters,” Penny B said, suddenly feeling sad. “I miss them very much.”
“Mommy says blue butterflies are special,” Peyton said.
“That’s true,” her mother said, squeezing Peyton’s hand. “A blue butterfly is also called a wish butterfly. When you see a blue butterfly, you can make a wish and it might come true. But be careful. A wish is a very important thing, especially if you only get one. So, think carefully before you wish.”
“I will take my time, Mommy. I promise,” Peyton agreed. “Before I wish for anything, I will give it lots of thought.” She looked at her new friend. “Where do you live, Penny B?”
“I think I lived here with my family when I was a caterpillar,” said Penny B. “But I believe now that I’m a butterfly, I’m supposed to find a place called Fairyland.”
“Fairyland? What is Fairyland?” asked Peyton.
“My mother told me Fairyland is a place where butterflies live forever. And there are little people called fairies that look like you and your mommy, but they have wings on their backs and fly. They do nice things with their magic,” explained Penny B. “Mama told all my sisters and brothers when we were caterpillars, that she would see us in Fairyland after we turned into butterflies. So, I think that’s where my family is, and where I’m supposed to go.”
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPRTKK9D
If money were no object, where would you go for a Spring Break vacation and why?
I’d travel to England with my family—including my grandchildren. I’ve been captivated by the allure of England for as long as I can remember. Its rich history and culture have summoned me through the pages of my books and the flickering screens of television since childhood. I have no first-hand knowledge of any of them, but I want that experience.
For two weeks, I would explore every facet of England's charm. From the bustling streets of London, where the sound of Big Ben echoes through the city, to the relaxing shores of Brighton, alive with the chorus of crashing waves, I would indulge my senses in the classic British experience.
I would want to visit London, experience Brighton, travel throughout Kent and Cornwall, and visit the shores of Dover to see the white cliffs. I’d want to soak up as much as I can. I’d also like to visit the grand homes in the countryside, and the lovely English Gardens, and picnic along a babbling brook on a sunny day, surrounded by blooming lavender and wildflowers.
I’d also like to travel through the rolling hills in the countryside of Kent and Cornwall, where quaint villages await. I would soak in everything having to do with the old smuggling trade—things that I’ve researched for my books and tales I’ve spun with handsome heroes and strong-willed heroines. And along the shores of Dover, I would stand in awe of the majestic white cliffs.
It's not just the landmarks that draw me to England; it's the essence of England itself—the lovely mixture of British accents, the timeless elegance of grand country homes, and the peaceful splendor of English gardens. I envision myself picnicking beside a babbling brook, surrounded by the fragrance of lavender and the vibrant hues of wildflowers, just as I've described in my stories.
This journey isn't just about sightseeing; it's about embracing the scenes I've woven into my imagination and bringing them to life. England isn't just a destination. For me, it’s a journey of discovery—an adventure I cannot wait to take.
Why is your featured book a must-read this spring?
This adorable children’s story was written by Anna St. Claire and her six-year-old granddaughter on a summer afternoon of “storytelling!” The story is perfect for Spring–with enchanting descriptions and illustrations of the metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly. Penny–a blue “wish” butterfly– breaks free from her cocoon and discovers she is all alone. She wants to find her family, but all she knows is that they live in a place called, Fairyland. Penny B. meets a little girl, named Peyton, whose mother explains the significance of finding a blue, “wish butterfly”–and the little girl, considers her gift of a wish very carefully. Along the way, Peyton and Penny meet Maggie, a tiny fairy who has gotten woefully lost because she didn’t follow directions and ventured outside of Fairyland.
Together, the three friends discover what true friendship and self-sacrifice are all about, among other wonderful lessons.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Open internationally.
Runs April 1 – 30, 2024
Drawing will be held on May 1, 2024.
Author Biography:
Who knew I’d become an author? Not me. But when the opportunity knocked, I answered the door and welcomed it in. I approach life with as much positivity as I can—celebrating the hits and laughing at the misses. Nothing worthwhile is easy, and that includes everything in my life. But I have much to smile about—my lovely mother, a beautiful daughter, two precious granddaughters, my adorable dogs, and my sweet husband of over thirty years. He has always supported me—including uprooting to move to the other side of Charlotte, N.C. for a life change, just when we thought we were settled.
If settled means not going after my dreams, then I never want to be settled. I give my all to things I enjoy—and that includes writing. In 2021, I hit the USA Today Bestselling Author list, and recently, two of my books were named RONE Finalists!
I love to express myself to the point that my daughter avoids going to the movies with me because I’m that woman in the row in front of you who gleefully munches her popcorn and laughs at every hilarious scene. Loudly. Besides my family, I love chocolate, popcorn, laughter, and animals. I love animals so much that I frequently sprinkle them in my stories as secondary characters. They usually steal the show! British and American history have always interested me, so writing historical romances set in the U.K. and the US is where my passion is.
When I was barely three years old, my parents divorced, and my mom moved my sister and me from New York to South Carolina to live near her parents. Juggling a full-time job and full-time school, my mother became my first genuine hero—she never waved the white flag when things were tough. And things quickly got tough. My grandmother, who helped care for my sister and me while my mother worked, became ill with cancer, and didn’t survive the surgery, dying before I was seven. Losing Grandma devastated me. She read to me and taught me to read before I started first grade. I credit her for inspiring my love of reading, and I credit my mother for encouraging me to turn my ideas into stories.
When I was ten, my neighbor gave me her book club copy of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and it remains one of my favorite books. But it was Kathleen Woodiwiss’ Shanna and Ashes in the Wind, that hooked me on historical romance and sparked my dream of becoming a published author.
While I primarily write Regency Romance, I enjoy almost any period in American and British history.
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