Deena the Damselfly

Plot

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- Deena, a damselfly nymph, cannot understand why her friends disappear at a certain age, and she promises others that should she ever solve the mystery, she will return to tell them. One day, she feels funny and finds she has metamorphosed into a damselfly. Intending to keep her promise, she flies back to the other nymphs, who neither recognize nor understand her. She begins a new life, consoled by the thought that someday they will join her. Carmi's green, gold, and blue pastel-crayon depiction of pond life is effective and appealing. Unfortunately, some of the bugs are given a Disney-like treatment--Deena wears a sappy smile and a bow. But the story works on several levels. It is a nature story that can be used in a unit on ecology; it is a metaphor for growing up; it can even be used as the basis for a discussion on death and afterlife. As the cliche goes, you can't judge a book by it cover--Deena, despite her looks, has depth. --Marcia Posner, Federation of New York and the Jewish Book Council, New York City
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.