Hudson’s Monarch Nursery

Hudson’s Monarch Nursery by author and educator Laurie Sharp, offers a timely and tender narrative for budding young naturalists.

About Hudson’s Monarch Nursery

A young boy’s passion for butterflies becomes a gateway to science, empathy, and conservation in Hudson’s Monarch Nursery.

Launching October 7th, 2025, through Mascot Kids!, this illustrated story with dyslexia-friendly text invites readers to follow Hudson as he raises monarch caterpillars, nurturing them through their miraculous metamorphosis into butterflies. Inspired by her decades as an early childhood educator and her love of nature, Laurie weaves scientific facts into a story brimming with wonder. The book tracks the monarch’s life cycle and family bonds, curiosity, and care for the natural world.

Engaging and developmentally appropriate, Hudson’s Monarch Nursery encourages children to become explorers, scientists, and stewards of nature.

Our Thoughts

Hudson’s Monarch Nursery is a wonderful story of discovery, compassion, and how to be a steward of this wonderful place we call home. Hudson, along with his Mother, is privileged to live near a spot where the monarch caterpillars can be found. Hudson and his Mom have a special tradition of collecting caterpillars, and I loved the agreement that the two of them have. The special agreement is that if you remove something from nature or its natural habitat then you must learn how to take care of it. What an important lesson for young children. It can be so tempting to fall in love with the beauty of nature and want to keep a piece of it for ourselves. But sometimes in doing so, we destroy this beauty and we need to make sure that we do our best to avoid this.

I loved the honesty from Hudson, who shares his own mistake in the past that ended up being fatal for a caterpillar. He even shares how he is preparing so that this doesn’t happen again. We learned so much about collecting caterpillars and even the difference between male and female monarchs. The story follows the life cycle of a monarch, from Hudson collecting the caterpillars on milkweed to the chrysalis to emerging and taking its first flight. The book also includes a glossary and fun facts at the end which helps to reinforce the learning throughout the story.

What I loved the most about this story is the pure joy that Hudson shows throughout the story of his role as being a part of something bigger than just ourselves and the important role that we play in protecting our world. It is not just a beautiful story about monarch butterflies, but passing traditions down, the circle of life and how every child can be a steward. These are such important messages for young children as they begin to learn to care for the world around them. This message comes through clear through age appropriate language, illustrations and ideas that you and your child can do at home. Hudson’s Monarch Nursery will be a well loved addition to your child’s home library.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, B&N, and Indigo.

About the Author

Laurie Sharp is the author of picture books, Hudson’s Monarch Nursery and The Day Sweetie Pie Died. She has been an early childhood educator for more than three decades and is passionate about using storytelling to connect children with nature. Her time spent in gardens, fields, and classrooms informs her writing, which is rich with life lessons and environmental education. Laurie divides her time between her ranchette in Central Texas and her family’s lake house in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Whether she’s caring for animals or observing monarch butterflies, she finds daily inspiration in the outdoors. Visit her at lmsharpbooks.com and @lauriesharp33.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.