About the Author
Robert W. Peterson was an American writer born in 1925. He worked as a reporter for big newspapers like The Washington Post. Later, he wrote books and stories about sports, history, and real people. His writing is simple and fun to read. He loved telling true tales of brave and smart folks. Peterson passed away in 2006, but his stories still teach kids about hard work and dreams.
What’s the Story About?
This is a true story about a smart boy named Richard Ebright who grows up to be a top scientist. It shows how his love for learning and his mom's help turn him into a science star. The tale starts when Richard is very young and follows him step by step.
Richard lives in a small town in America. When he is just in second grade, he starts collecting butterflies. By the end of that year, he has all 25 kinds found near his home! His mom sees his interest and buys him a book called The Travels of Monarch X. This book is about tagging butterflies to track where they go. Richard gets excited and starts tagging them with his mom and friends. They send the tags to scientists who study where butterflies fly.
But after a while, tagging gets boring because they don't hear back from the scientists. Richard stops. Then, in seventh grade, he joins a science fair. He shows his butterfly collection, but it is just showing, not real science. He loses the prize. This makes him sad, but it teaches him: To win, you need to do experiments, not just collect things.
His mom helps again. She gets him a small lab kit with chemicals and things to test. Richard starts mixing stuff and asking questions. He wonders why butterflies have certain spots on their wings. He reads books and talks to a man named Dr. Urquhart, a butterfly expert. Dr. Urquhart gives him ideas to test.
Richard tries an experiment: He thinks the spots on wings help butterflies eat each other or something. He tests on small bugs and wins at the county science fair! This is a big win. Next, he goes to an international fair and gets second place for his work.
Richard does not stop. He finds out how cells in moth wings make gold spots. This is new science! He writes about it in big journals when he is just 17. He also loves other things like horse riding, debate, and school plays. But science is his top love.
His mom plays a big role. After his dad dies when Richard is little, she spends all her time helping him learn. She takes him on trips, buys books, and pushes him to try harder.
In simple words, the story says anyone can be a scientist if they stay curious, work hard, and learn from fails. Richard shows that small steps lead to big dreams.
Who’s Who in the Story
- Richard Ebright – A smart and curious boy who grows up to become a scientist. He collects butterflies, does experiments, and wins many science prizes.
- Mrs. Ebright – Richard’s caring and supportive mother. She helps him learn, buys books and science kits, and takes him on educational trips.
- Dr. Frederick Urquhart – A butterfly expert and writer of the book The Travels of Monarch X. His book inspires Richard to start collecting butterflies and studying them.
- Mr. Urquhart – A scientist who gives Richard new ideas for his experiments and research.
Themes and Moral
Main Themes
- Curiosity – Always asking “why” and wanting to discover more. Example: Richard wonders how patterns form on butterfly wings.
- Hard Work – Success comes from effort, patience, and persistence. Example: He loses his first science fair but works harder and wins later.
- Support from Family – Having someone to guide and motivate you. Example: His mother buys him books and kits to explore science.
- Real Science – True science means experimenting and finding answers, not just collecting things. Example: Richard moves from butterfly collections to real research.
Moral
Stay curious and work hard, even if you fail at first. Family help and asking questions can make you great. Anyone with a sharp mind and will to learn can become a scientist. Enjoy what you do, and success will follow!
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Vocabulary
- Curiosity – Wanting to know or find out things. Used for: Richard’s love for learning about butterflies.
- Specimen – A sample or example of something. Used for: The butterflies he collects and studies.
- Tagging – Putting a label on something to track it. Used for: The butterfly wings Richard tags for migration studies.
- Experiment – A test to find answers or prove an idea. Used for: Richard’s tests on butterfly wing spots.
- Mimicking – Copying something to look like it. Used for: The way butterfly wing spots fool enemies.
- Isomers – Chemicals with the same parts but different shapes. Used for: The complex studies Richard does later in the lab.
- Larva – The baby stage of an insect, like a caterpillar. Used for: The early stage in a butterfly’s life cycle.
Phrases
- Science fair – A contest where students show their science projects. Used when: Richard wins prizes for his experiments.
- Monarch butterflies – Orange and black flying insects. Used when: Richard first starts collecting butterflies.
- Chemical formulas – Recipes for making or understanding substances in a lab. Used when: Richard learns advanced science early on.
- Goes beyond – Doing more than just the basic work. Used when: Richard’s projects show extra creativity and depth.
- All-rounder – A person who is good at many things. Used when: Richard is shown to be skilled in sports, studies, and acting.
These words make the story exciting. Use them in your talks to sound like a little scientist!