Heather Sanderson’s The Dog Who Wanted to be a Butterfly is a wonderful, creative, and uplifting children’s story that ultimately reminds us to dream big, and that love can be found for who we once were as well as who we become. A dip into the whimsy often absent from adult life, the charming story of Franklin, the dog, creates an imaginative space to welcome the magic of childlike ambitions. The underlying theme of embracing who you are is something children and adults alike can appreciate. Playful illustrations by Gérome Barry stick with you even after the story ends, building the colorful world of Franklin and complementing the enchantment this story invites you into.
Sanderson is very open about her spiritual journey and the importance of healing. These foundational ideas are woven into her prose, even in a light-hearted children’s book, where the compelling pull of finding oneself is explored through the lens of a dog, Franklin. Franklin, based on the real dog with whom the author is well acquainted, goes on a journey to become a butterfly. He starts by asking his human sister, Amelia, who instructs him, “Da ca bo bo.” These deep words of wisdom were, of course, interpreted by Franklin as “you need to eat chicken bones”—which he immediately set out to do. However, when this did not successfully turn him into a butterfly, he had to seek another source. He asked his dog friend, Daphne, if she knew how he could become a butterfly, and she told him to run up three stairs and jump down one hundred times. This exhausted him, and he began to lose hope, until he actually encountered a real butterfly.
The butterfly told him that in order to turn into one, he needed to lick a pink pineapple three times. However, finding one proved more difficult than Franklin expected; he almost gave up when, while at a restaurant with his family, he found a pink pineapple sitting right on their table. Each lick became a realization for Franklin. He was struck by how much he actually loved his family and his life as a dog. Although this did not stop him from desiring to fly through the clouds and float over flowers, it shifted his perspective of who he already is. It was at this moment that his wish changed: he no longer wanted to be just a butterfly. He wanted to be both a dog and a butterfly. So, on the third lick, that is exactly what he became. Thus, the last page of the story concludes with, “He always flew back home to his people who loved him whether he was a dog, or a butterfly, or a dog-erfly. And he loved them.”
Accompanied by the unique, cartoonish illustrations in a distinctive style, the story’s end comes to life in a vibrant way. I wanted to jump into the pages, imagining how I would fit into it, that perhaps my goals and aspirations will come true if I channel my inner butterfly, or my inner Franklin. On his journey, Franklin discovers that transformation can mean letting go of who you once were to become an even greater version of yourself, and this ends up being an emotional turn that he did not originally expect. This end to Franklin’s expedition is a pivotal moment and also my personal favorite. Sanderson illustrates such a deeply significant message in a light, accessible way so that children can easily understand it and be inspired. This is something that permeates my emotions as I read, as an adult who still needs reminders of self-love. More importantly, the final sentence, “And he loved them,” says something even more profound about this journey. It is not just who loves you, but who you love in return. Who would you always fly back home to?
The emphasis on love and on seeing your dreams not just as magic but as reality, is a necessary change in perspective and a joyful experience to be immersed in. The motif of a butterfly, in the way that a caterpillar transforms, can seem overdone. Yet, this book is a completely fresh take on what it means to transform, and the significance of finding yourself through change, both in who loves you and in whom you love. And, of course, because there was no caterpillar in this story, our caterpillar was a dog! Heather Sanderson’s The Dog Who Wanted to be a Butterfly is a story that encourages you not to stay confined within your mind but to stretch the bounds of your imagination and bring something of it back home with you—to share that we are capable of making dreams come true and of finding our people, the way that Franklin did, who will love us regardless of what we become.
Order your copy of The Dog Who Wanted to Be a Butterfly today!
Abigail Palmer (she/her) is a current English student at the University of Tennessee. Born in the North but raised in the South, she has always had a place in the in-between of things. In between reader and writer, student and teacher, chronically ill and healthy–she is seeking to defy such labels to become whoever, wherever, however she desires to be. That currently looks like a preschool teacher, beloved (of course) daughter, adored (obviously) girlfriend, up-and-coming cat mom, and a forever nominee of the “Super Opinionated” award. If she’s not incessantly analyzing every piece of media she consumes, she’s probably intellectualizing her feelings while making ultra specific playlists that no one can relate to but her! You can find her on Instagram @zer0cooll.
