Tuula Pere brings the third installment in the Pearl Books series with Pearl, Our Butterfly. Sometimes, Jacob likes to shout during recess at school. When his teacher asks him why, he tells her it's because he can't make any loud noises at home as his baby sister Pearl is seriously disabled, and he doesn't want to disturb her. Ever since his parents brought her home, Jacob knew his sister was special, and he liked to sing to her. When Jacob learns about butterflies in class, it reminds him of his sister's big beautiful eyes. But these days, his parents spend a lot of time in the hospital with Pearl, leaving Jacob at his grandma's. Grandma tells him that Pearl will be put in a hospice as she doesn't have much time. With Grandma's help, Jacob learns to navigate his sister's loss.

A bittersweet story about loss, love, and family, Pearl, Our Butterfly celebrates the life of a dearly departed one. This picture book allows young readers to accept and embrace the loss of their loved ones and cherish memories as they leave their mark even after death. Tuula Pere wonderfully wraps up the story of Pearl with this book. It's not a very happy story, but an important one that introduces young readers to the concepts of loss and grief. The story is heartbreaking yet poignant. Pere is a master at evoking strong emotions and feelings in the reader in a short span of pages. I honestly felt for Jacob when he compared his sister to a butterfly. It is a very beautiful story that I highly recommend to both parents and young readers.

Pearl, Our Butterfly by Tuula Pere will allow children to explore complex emotions such as love, loss, and grief. Jacob adores his little sister Pearl, who needs special care due to a severe illness. His parents spend much time at the hospital with her, while his grandmother takes care of Jacob and answers all his questions about the situation. He knows that the time will come to say goodbye, and he worries that Pearl will not return from the hospital someday. Meanwhile, he learns about butterflies at school and creates one of clay and silk paper with his sister in mind, hoping to show it to her. But when things get complicated, the family realizes it's time to let the baby go.

Pearl, Our Butterfly is as sad as it is beautiful. The butterfly analogy is an excellent choice to address the cycle of life. Tuula Pere teaches children clear lessons about life and death. Her narration is impressive, and I liked the use of various settings such as school, home, and hospital. The story is moving: despite Jacob's limitations, such as the silence needed in his house, he does his best to care for Pearl. He is an example of empathy and understanding, capable of inspiring young readers to value family relationships. By identifying with the characters, children will learn that it is natural to feel sadness or homesickness and that these feelings can be expressed in healthy ways. I also loved the illustrations by Catty Flores, especially the shades of blue that reflect sadness while highlighting Jacob's deep love and affection for Pearl.

Pearl, Our Butterfly by Tuula Pere is a children’s illustrated book about life and death. This is the third book about Pearl, who was born with physical difficulties which she does not ever recover from. Jacob is her older brother and always tries to make life easier for Pearl, including helping his parents with her care. As time passes, Pearl weakens and eventually passes away, making this book one that will pull on your heartstrings. However, I also like to think of this book being about Jacob, and everything he goes through during Pearl’s decline. He knows he cannot make loud noises at home, so he makes them in the schoolyard instead. He finds comfort in knowing that when he sings to Pearl, it helps make her feel better. His sister is constantly on his mind, even when he is modeling school projects such as butterflies. We see his angst as he goes through the stages of worry and fear. We find him gaining comfort from his grandmother when he is sad. And we finally can see death through his eyes when Pearl dies.

The topic of death and dying, especially when it concerns children, is very difficult for many people to deal with. There are so many emotions involved, but this book explores them, helps us go through them, and helps us to see life from the perspective of a loving child, and thereby we gain great comfort, even when death comes. This book is an absolute treasure for families going through trying times as this book illustrates. I highly recommend Pearl, Our Butterfly (Pearl Books #3), by Tuula Pere. Such a beautiful and poignant story!