A Thousand White Butterflies

Isabella, a nine-year-old who has recently immigrated from Colombia to the snowy Midwest of the United States, faces her first day of American school with nervous excitement. When a blizzard shuts the school district, her hopes of making friends and fitting in collapse. Lonely in her apartment while her mother searches for work, Isabella watches delicate snowflakes fall—reminding her of the colorful butterflies back home. Venturing outside, she meets Katie, an English-speaking neighbor whose shy wave becomes the start of a cross-cultural friendship. Together they transform the cold snow into “a thousand white butterflies,” symbolizing hope, belonging, and new beginnings.