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“* This hopeful, heartfelt novel will give teens an understanding of what it means to have a reason to be self-conscious. Librarians won’t be able to keep it on the shelf.” - School Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘Heart wrenching and beautiful are the two words that immediately came to mind as I read “Butterflies’ …

Gervay paints a picture of Katherine as she grows and changes allowing the reader to believe in her as a real person. Unlike other teen angst books, Katherine does not dwell in her angst, but moves beyond it and chooses to leave the misery and find joy in her daily life.

Gervay allows Katherine to win at the end- not because she suddenly becomes amazingly beautiful, but because she always was beautiful and knew that within herself.

…. Kudos to Gervay for painting the reader a picture of a self-reliant teen girl who does not depend on a boy to make herself feel valuable. Highly recommended for libraries- school, public and personal- who want to add to their girl power collections.” -

SWON Libraries Royal Reviews;  http://www.swonlibraries.org/royal-reviews?a=dr&id=6255

I’ve already met amazing people who see burns as a challenge but not one that takes over their lives. Good humour and courage rings through the hotel in Times Square.

Tomorrow I speak at the conference about the power of BUTTERFLIES to heal, empower young readers and families to meet the challenge of burns and seek to be everything they can be.

Saw several publishers about BUTTERFLIES being published in the USA and there is lots of enthusiasm.

BUTTERFLIES is has had too many reprints for me to remember, won international prizes and is recognised as Outstanding Youth Literature on Disability, yet isn’t published in the USA - YET.  It will be soon.