Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration by Sara Dykman

3.73 AVERAGE

rocketman2022's review against another edition

3.0
adventurous challenging informative inspiring sad medium-paced
I wouldn't really consider this as "armchair travel". The bike adventure she has is really interesting and it is really informative about the monarch butterflies and spreading awareness about their habitat that all humans no matter what country of origin are doing that destroys their ecosystem. However, in my opinion, she overdoes the drama and over romanticizes things that made me start to lose interest. Also, not sure if you should encourage squatting camping instead of fitting within the rules of dispersed camping...

libt392's review against another edition

3.0
I learned a lot about monarch butterflies and milkweed from this book and I appreciated the author’s intent. The format of the book as a travel log felt monotonous to me and superficial at times.

Sarah is commendable in her work and outlook of the world. I appreciate her journey but didn’t love the book like I expected to. I think it just boiled down to writing style and a lack of “show me don’t tell me”.

That being said, the woman biked 10,000 miles following the monarch butterfly migration from Mexico to Canada and back. She presented to various schools & groups to raise awareness of the decline of the species and encourage people of all ages to take small actions to care for the planet.

joykirr's review

3.0
3.5 stars - quote that sums it up - "Our collective voices add up to change."

anniedrows's review

4.0
I think her trip was amazing. Traveling from Mexico up to Canada, across to the east and then back again to Mexico. Brave, inspiring, purposeful. Apparently this is not her first educational bicycle trip, but it is the first one that she’s done alone. She does a good job of recognizing the people she stayed with and the value that they had to her and to the monarch cause. She’s honest about how and where she slept illegally along the way and her rationale and justification for it. I have very mixed feelings about that part.

emilygmbl's review

3.75
informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

gabik7585's review

3.75
adventurous challenging informative reflective slow-paced

plantwoman's review

3.0
The premise of this book is very admirable and the science of monarchs seemed very solid. I got this book free through NetGalley and had to read it on my phone which certainly took all the joy out of reading. I felt that the book was very superficial and that was its major downfall. I also found it gratuititice when she started looking at her motives or her guilt. Additionally, I was pretty uncomfortable hearing about her overnight camping trespasses not only from a trespass standpoint but also safety. Usually when I read a book that incorporates travel with nature it makes me really want to duplicate the trip, this book did not do that for me.

rdaught's review

3.0
adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

beccasoks's review against another edition

3.0
adventurous informative reflective

annasaderholm's review

4.5
adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective