Dykman’s transformation as she follows the kaleidoscope of butterflies is a wonder to observe as it unfolds… Her writing is frank, uplifting, informative, and gorgeous. What a glorious story and an urgent one, as the author advocates for protection of this magnificent threatened species and the fragile ecosystem that supports it.

She got on my last nerve and 22% into the book and I didn't learn much more about Monarchs and their journey than I already knew.I am a Master Naturalist who has planted milkweed in open spaces for years, spoken out about habitat destruction, reared caterpillars to adulthood for public education, and shared with others my pure love and interest for such an amazing creature!

The presence of milkweed in agricultural fields (between crops and on field edges) declined 97 percent from 1999 to 2009 in Iowa, and 94 percent in Illinois. The most emotional part of the journey for Sara was the last three miles - arriving successfully back at the monarch's overwintering site in Mexico. You experience the highs and lows of the trip as you see it through her eyes and through the eyes of the Monarchs. Bicycling with Butterflies is notable for its interesting story and even more so for the fascinating lore about monarch butterflies, milkweed, and other aspects of natural life, but Dykman wants to do more than simply share what she has learned.

For this reason, monarchs tend to occupy the sunnier, south-facing slopes of the forest, and they form clusters under the forest canopy. However, the real meat of the book is the information about the monarchs, their main plant hosts the milkweed, and other aspects of the natural world. As the Pacific Ocean heats up, evaporation increases, causing brewing storms to carry more and more moisture. I'm not saying that monarchs are not important - I didn't understand why the biking of their route is an important goal.