Maria and the Magic of the Rainbow by Suzanna L. Royse is a stunning and inspiring children's book about a young butterfly named Maria. After she loses a wing in a storm, Maria, unable to fly, is taken hostage by an evil fire ant named El Jefe. He forces her to sing and clean for him. With the help of her friends, she escapes, but the way to freedom isn't easy, and she is followed by many of El Jefe's rebels. When she is finally free, she makes a few friends, but is bullied by a wasp named Stinger, who makes fun of her and her friends because they are different. Will Maria ever get Stinger to stop being mean?

I really enjoyed reading Maria and the Magic of the Rainbow by Suzanna L. Royse. The book is very well written and descriptive. The book also teaches forgiveness and hope. The characters are all very likeable, especially Maria, because she is optimistic, kind, and brave, and willing to forgive others, no matter what they do. I was hooked by the first page and I did not want to put the book down. The book is full of action and suspense, and is very heartwarming and inspiring. I liked how all of the songs in the book rhyme. The illustrations, by Keith Klein, are very well drawn and depict each scene vividly. I liked how the book has many diverse characters with different accents, abilities and disabilities. The story is very exciting, and has some funny parts. I would recommend this book to young readers.

Author Suzanna Royse sets the scene on the first page of Maria and the Magic of the Rainbow and continues to keep us entertained and amused throughout the book. Readers will fall in love with Maria the butterfly, who lost a wing and her parents in a powerful storm. Because Maria is homeless and unable to fly, El Jefe the fire ant took her in, but in exchange, she becomes a servant at his cantina. Readers will feel empathy for Maria because she works for a cruel and short-tempered boss, El Jefe, who constantly reminds her that she was a one-winged orphan when he found her. Maria the butterfly dreams of freedom. She’s also curious with lots of questions and she longs to explore. Author Suzanna Royse cleverly weaves poetry into the story by way of song. Maria and her moth friends are excellent singers. The book is a real page-turner that grips the reader from the start. Suzanna Royse creates a wonderful plan with sneezing fuzzies to help Maria escape. Will she make it safely over the river before El Jefe realizes she’s missing?

Illustrator Keith Klein provides imaginative drawings of the main characters right at the start of Maria and the Magic of the Rainbow. He is very imaginative and the drawings are well done. Even the gray scale images throughout the book are very well executed and accurately demonstrate the story. Children and adults will love this wonderful, inspiring story of determination, bullying, and teamwork. It’s nice to see a book with a female hero who overcomes a tragedy and several obstacles to reach her goal. Will Maria get past all the challenges between her and her freedom? I encourage you to read the book to find out!