Jewel's Reading Excellence Review: Helps children understand nature's life cycle

books:


	• The Dragonfly Door John Adams Feather Rock Books, Inc., 2007 - 40 pages average customer review:based on 6 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The warm, emotional colors of award-winning artist Barbara L. Gibson

The debut children's picturebook of author John Adams, The Dragonfly Door dares to confront serious topics - of loss, death, grieving, and transition. Nym and Lea are two close insect friends, but one day after Nym yells at Lea, Lea disappears. Nym searches everywhere for her missing friend, and can't find her. At last Nym falls asleep, grief-stricken, and finally hears Lea's voice one more time. "'I died and went to this special place,' Lea said, her voice full of love. 'But I didn't want you to leave,' Nym pleaded. 'I'm sorry I yelled.' 'I know you're sorry,' Lea assured her. 'I left because my water nymph body died while I was picking flowers in the reeds, not because you yelled.'" The warm, emotional colors of award-winning artist Barbara L. Gibson illustrate this highly recommended picturebook for sharing the bittersweet realities of life with young people.

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A Message of Hope for Children Who Are Grieving

As President of a nonprofit organization that reaches out to those who are grieving, I was very pleased to read a book such as The Dragonfly Door. This book provides a much needed way to offer children (and adults) a message of hope following the death of a loved one.

Children can relate to the playful nature of Nym and Lea who are the two young nymph friends, the sorrow of Nym when Lea dies, and the comforting feeling when when Nym realizes that he will one day see Lea again as a dragonfly, when he too has made his transformation into a dragonfly.

Our nonprofit organization recommends this book so highly that we have decided to make it available for purchase at all of our events.
-Valerie Marquardt

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A touching, relational book for any age

I bought this book to give to a friend whose little girl had passed away. The illustrations are brillliant and the storyline opened up many venues of dialogue that would be discussed at such a tragic time as this. The book brings hope and a "connection" to that little one's spirit that has passed on. I recommend this book to give to others. It will remain a treasure in their collection just like the memory of the little one who once was part of their earthly family.

Jewel's Reading Excellence Review: Helps children understand nature's life cycle

John Adams brilliantly invites the reader into the world of Nymphs and Dragonflies to explore the changes that take place when Nym's friend goes to a special place.

When I had lost a family member I had read a wonderful story called, "The Water Bug Story." John Adams adds a fresh approach to this story by focusing on friendship loss and giving a voice to his characters. With the help of Gibson's eye-catching nature illustrations, "The Dragon Fly Door" answers general questions surrounding loss, such as feelings about loss, what happens to the nymph's body when he dies, and how a nymph is transformed into a dragonfly.

Adams creatively normalizes typical friendship rivalry and takes the reader on a nature journey to discover that one chooses to resolve conflict, loss, and changes in different ways. Adams concludes the book with uncomplicated educational facts for the inquisitive science mind.

This is a great educational tool for parents, grandparents or professionals to use to help explain the uncontrollable life cycle changes and loss.

Reviewed by Jewel Sample, MS
Award-winning author of Flying Hugs and Kisses(2006), also translated: Besos y Abrazos Al Aire(2006, Spanish edition) and Flying Hugs and Kisses Activity Book(2007)

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Don't miss this book even if you have not lost a loved one

I'd like to share some thoughts that other reviewers have touched on briefly or not at all.

I almost didn't purchase The Dragonfly Door because I thought it might be too overtly religious for the people I wanted to share it with. Fortunately, I did order it. The book can be interpreted on many different levels; the reader will bring to it what he or she likes or needs. The story will appeal to members of all denominations as well as to people who belong to no organized religion. Lea's "special place" can be just that, or the reader may choose to call it "heaven." The factual section on dragonflies at the end of the book adds yet another dimension. You or your child will enjoy The Dragonfly Door even if you have not lost a friend or relative. For me, the story brought back vivid memories of my own "lost" childhood.

The art is bright, simple, and will appeal to children. It enhances the text, sets the mood, clarifies emotions, and provides clues to the meaning of words. But it's the language I love most. It is natural, alive, playful, concrete, colorful. The words speak to the imagination. The dragonfly nymphs don't just run while playing tag: they "zigzag between the rocks" as the beetles and minnows "dart through the reeds." Nym "pokes" Lea with one of her legs as she squeals "You're it!" You can see the colors on the water, hear the laughter in Lea's voice, and feel the cold of the night or the softness of a leaf. You can hear Nym's voice "crack" with anger, see her mouth "quiver" when she realizes Lea is gone, and experience the silence and sadness of the empty nest.

Sometimes the art goes where words cannot go. Every character has a personality and a voice--even the sea creatures who don't speak (what they're thinking and feeling shows clearly on their faces). The artist's use of color, light and shadow, her rendition of Nym's dream and Lea's "special place" are nothing short of brilliant.

The characters are real. Leah's love for Nym is a shining presence throughout the book. Nym's playfulness, short-lived temper tantrum, sadness, anxiety, and hope all ring true. After Lea disappears, the questions Nym asks her in a dream are the same questions children are most likely to ask.

There are big life lessons in The Dragonfly Door about "loss and change," if the reader wishes to interpret the book on this level. But there are little life lessons as well. Nym is always polite with the other sea creatures, and she doesn't hesitate to say she's sorry when she realizes she has behaved inappropriately. Lea doesn't deny Nym's rebellious feelings or respond to anger with anger. At a critical moment, she knows just what to say to her friend to comfort her and lessen her feelings of guilt.

Don't pass up reading this book! If it is not available at your public library or your child's school library, talk to the librarians. The Dragonfly Door is a valuable resource for all families and communities.

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reviews: page 1, 2

Help children identify the beauty and hope in all cycles of life as they follow two insects, Lea and Nym, and the struggles Nym endures when her friend disappears. This is a tender story about loss and change, written to help parents express their views about life and death. The Dragonfly Door may serve many purposes, such as comforting a grieving child or providing facts about dragonflies. Beautifully illustrated by Barbara L. Gibson, the book is cherished by parents, grandparents and teachers. It was recently brought to life as a mini-play to help children cope with the loss of their classmates.

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