Butterfly Heart
by Moa Backe Åstot; trans. from Swedish by Agnes Broomé
Middle School, High School    Levine/Levine Querido    184 pp.
10/25    9781646145751    $19.99

A Swedish teenager copes with the loss of her grandfather by exploring her indigenous Sámi heritage in this translated work from 2024 Printz Honor author Åstot (for Fire from the Sky). Vilda is on the cusp of her fourteenth birthday when her beloved Áddjá, who calls her his “darling butterfly,” dies unexpectedly. To make matters worse, puberty has arrived, including the appearance of Vilda’s first period and tumultuous feelings of rage and lust. She picks fights with her sister and mother, ghosts her best friend, and develops an unrequited crush on a cute older boy. As Vilda searches for relief from her anger and sadness, she is drawn to her family’s roots. Through study of the Sámi language, fittings for a traditional dress known as a gábdde, and healing conversations with her family, Vilda realizes that the best way to preserve her memories of her grandfather is to embrace the heritage he cherished. This intimate and introspective exploration of grief, adolescence, and culture will resonate with young teens and provides a captivating window into a unique way of life whose traditional language and practices are endangered.

From the January/February 2026 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.