Fish in a Tree

Shay has a birthday party at the butterfly house and invites everyone in the class (at her mother’s command). Keisha’s family is visiting her grandmother and Albert destroys his invitation before his parents see it, so Ally is forced to attend without her real friends.

At the butterfly house, the butterflies are attracted to Ally’s bright orange shirt, and many fly toward her. Ally remembers a story Albert told her about the Native American belief that butterflies grant wishes. Without thinking, Ally reflexively snatches at a butterfly, hoping her wishes will be granted. The butterfly drifts to the ground, and the tour guide carries it away, worried for the butterfly’s safety but relieved that Ally didn’t tear its wing.

Still worried about the butterfly from Shay’s birthday party, Ally asks Albert if touching a butterfly’s wings injures the butterfly. Albert confirms that this is a common misconception, saying that the butterfly won’t be hurt unless its wing is torn.

Shay makes fun of Albert’s shirt and claims her own purple sweater is the color of royalty. Albert explains that in medieval times, royals dyed their garments purple using the slime of thousands of snails.