HUMBERTO THE HUMMING BUTTERFLY is a delightful tale designed to encourage people of all ages to “do the art that’s in their heart!” Humberto is a monarch butterfly who loves to hum, until a bee in the neighborhood criticizes him and tells him to stop. Fortunately, Humberto’s friends encourage him to keep humming, and he becomes a famous back-up hummer for the local animal bands! This story is a wonderful source of inspiration for people who have encountered criticism for doing the art that’s in their heart, and can help motivate people to use their gifts and talents to achieve their goals and destinies! You can listen to the story on this website (see video below) — HUMBERTO THE HUMMING BUTTERFLY is also available in paperback and as an e-book via Amazon/ Kindle .
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Humberto loves to hum! What is the “art that’s in your heart,” or some of the things that you like to do that bring you joy?
2. Just like the bee made fun of Humberto for humming, sometimes people make fun of us for doing activities that we enjoy. Has anyone ever criticized you for doing the art that’s in your heart? If so, take a moment to forgive them, and keep doing the activities that you love to do!
3. Just like Reggie the Robin encouraged Humberto to keep humming, many times there are people in our lives who encourage us to participate in the activities that we enjoy doing. Has anyone ever encouraged you to do the art that’s in your heart? If so, take a moment to thank them for their encouraging words and actions! And remember that you can always encourage yourself!
4. Make a list of new activities/things you would like to try that you think would bring you joy — think about different activities that you would like to do, places you want to visit, books you would like to read, and so on. Then start doing the things on your list — you might discover some new kinds of art that are in your heart!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP SAVE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES!
RESOURCES
Humberto is a monarch butterfly. These amazing butterflies migrate, or travel, long distances every year throughout North America. If you would like to learn more about monarch butterflies, here are some websites and organizations to explore:
National Wildlife Federation (NWF)
Monarch Joint Venture
World Wildlife Fund
Journey North
SAVE MONARCHS – PLANT NATIVE MILKWEED!
The population of monarch butterflies in North America has declined by over 90 percent since the 1980s. There are many reasons for this decline, but a major reason is the decrease of habitat (particularly milkweed) for monarch butterflies. Milkweed plants play an essential role in the life cycle of monarch butterflies: female monarch butterflies need to lay their eggs on milkweed plants, and the monarch larvae (caterpillars) will only eat milkweed as they grow and develop. You can help remedy this situation by planting milkweed! Please find out the best types of native milkweed to plant in your area by talking with a specialist at your local nursery and/or doing some online research. Explore the following websites and organizations for more information on milkweed:
Monarch Watch
Monarch Joint Venture
National Wildlife Federation
Save Our Monarchs
Jump Into The Arts 