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The Dragonfly Door
Talking about death with children? 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. Children may identify with Nym, who grieves the loss of her friend, and find it easier to express their unique feelings about a loss after hearing the story. 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 and is often used to help explain death to children or to engage children in an open dialogue about death. It has been adapted into a theatrical performance in various communities to help children cope with the death of their classmates. Also see The Dragonfly A Story of Boundless Love , a companion book for ages eight to adult (ISBN 9781934066133).
- GenresChildrens
40 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2006
About the author
John Adams
1,712 books15 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 9, 2019
I thought it was a nice book that addressed life and death in an appropriate way. I did feel the story conveyed what death was to a child, but didn't go into much depth in concerning feelings, approrpate ways to grieve etc. It also didn't make sense until you started reading the background info about how dragonflies develop (at which point you realize that the other character didn't dye and then the main character's feeling development is off... it was an okay book. Not necessarily a "go to" book to explain the dying process however.
July 26, 2017
With stunning illustrations, we see the lifecycle of a dragonfly as she begins as a water nymph and eventually emerges from the water, molts for the last time, and becomes an entirely new and winged creature. More importantly, this book gives parents and teachers an opening to talk about death with children. From the real grief of the one left behind, to a glimpse of what comes next: another life that is totally different and unimaginable from the one we are living.
June 24, 2022
Sweet tale of a young dragonfly (water) nymph whose friend goes on ahead of her into the beautiful world of sunshine above the pond... a beautiful analogy of death on earth becoming a new life in heaven. Definitely ones to have and keep on the children's bookshelf... and make sure to read with the grandkids *frequently*.
February 13, 2012
The Dragonfly Door by John Adams was one of those books that had to grow on me.
When I first read it, I wasn't sure whether or not I liked it. I wasn't sure what exactly it was trying to say and I couldn't tell for certain whether there were multiple meanings hidden away in the book's subtext. It was really only after I read the note from the author and publisher on the disclaimer page that I was able to put the book into a context that made sense. Then everything clicked and the second time I read the book, I found myself much more drawn into it.
It's a book that fulfills its purpose very nicely. If sometimes it seemed to be layering in other subliminal messages, then perhaps I need to stop reading so deeply into the children's books that I read.
The Dragonfly Door is a picture book for ages five through nine. In its pages, the readers meet two underwater nymphs, Lea and Nym. They're playmates, best friends, and nestmates. Lea, the slightly older one, is always encouraging Nym to be more responsible, something that eventually gets on Nym's nerves and causes her to snap at her friend and take off in a huff.
While Nym is gone, Lea goes off to find her friend's favorite leaves and finds herself suddenly slowing down and unable to physically go on. When Nym returns to the nest, she can't find Lea anywhere. After an exhausting search she goes to sleep and Lea speaks to her in a dream, telling her how she's gone above the water and how someday Nym will be able to join her.
The book ends with illustrated information about dragonflies and the stages of their life from egg to nymph to dragonfly.
The book's state dual purpose is to help children deal with grief and loss and, somewhat more mundanely, to share information about dragonflies. Both of these aims are met in a lovely manner that doesn't hide from the pain of loss nor dumb down scientific information.
While the book never mentions heaven, Lea's angelic depiction as a dragonfly in the land to which she rose up into out of the marsh leaves little doubt that the book is offering the comforts of an after-world in which we leave our former skins behind and emerge into a brighter, wider world. It's done in such a way that it can appeal to people of a variety of faiths.
Author John Adams also manages to weave in details about mourning and comfort in meaningful ways. Nym lets herself grieve even as she is comforted by her dream of Lea. She eventually goes on and finds others to be around who can somewhat replace the role of Lea in her life. Yet, she holds on to a physical memento that helps her keep her memory alive. John Adams also works in that Nym comes to understand that someday she will share the fate of Lea and will also have to experience the leaving of one life for another.
When I first read the book, I found myself wondering about the relationship of Nym and Lea. They weren't relatives, they were just of the same species. They were very good friends—who also slept in the same nest and had a relationship very much like a married couple. I almost wondered whether the author was trying to subtly slip in a same-sex marriage (which I would have applauded). If so, he did a stellar job of not drawing attention to it, but simply allowing the relationship to be. Ultimately, the ambiguity in the relationship is part of what makes the book work. It leaves it open for the child reading the book to substitute in whatever relationship he or she was in when experiencing a loss or death.
Review originally posted at Epinions.com http://www.epinions.com/content_42419...
When I first read it, I wasn't sure whether or not I liked it. I wasn't sure what exactly it was trying to say and I couldn't tell for certain whether there were multiple meanings hidden away in the book's subtext. It was really only after I read the note from the author and publisher on the disclaimer page that I was able to put the book into a context that made sense. Then everything clicked and the second time I read the book, I found myself much more drawn into it.
It's a book that fulfills its purpose very nicely. If sometimes it seemed to be layering in other subliminal messages, then perhaps I need to stop reading so deeply into the children's books that I read.
The Dragonfly Door is a picture book for ages five through nine. In its pages, the readers meet two underwater nymphs, Lea and Nym. They're playmates, best friends, and nestmates. Lea, the slightly older one, is always encouraging Nym to be more responsible, something that eventually gets on Nym's nerves and causes her to snap at her friend and take off in a huff.
While Nym is gone, Lea goes off to find her friend's favorite leaves and finds herself suddenly slowing down and unable to physically go on. When Nym returns to the nest, she can't find Lea anywhere. After an exhausting search she goes to sleep and Lea speaks to her in a dream, telling her how she's gone above the water and how someday Nym will be able to join her.
The book ends with illustrated information about dragonflies and the stages of their life from egg to nymph to dragonfly.
The book's state dual purpose is to help children deal with grief and loss and, somewhat more mundanely, to share information about dragonflies. Both of these aims are met in a lovely manner that doesn't hide from the pain of loss nor dumb down scientific information.
While the book never mentions heaven, Lea's angelic depiction as a dragonfly in the land to which she rose up into out of the marsh leaves little doubt that the book is offering the comforts of an after-world in which we leave our former skins behind and emerge into a brighter, wider world. It's done in such a way that it can appeal to people of a variety of faiths.
Author John Adams also manages to weave in details about mourning and comfort in meaningful ways. Nym lets herself grieve even as she is comforted by her dream of Lea. She eventually goes on and finds others to be around who can somewhat replace the role of Lea in her life. Yet, she holds on to a physical memento that helps her keep her memory alive. John Adams also works in that Nym comes to understand that someday she will share the fate of Lea and will also have to experience the leaving of one life for another.
When I first read the book, I found myself wondering about the relationship of Nym and Lea. They weren't relatives, they were just of the same species. They were very good friends—who also slept in the same nest and had a relationship very much like a married couple. I almost wondered whether the author was trying to subtly slip in a same-sex marriage (which I would have applauded). If so, he did a stellar job of not drawing attention to it, but simply allowing the relationship to be. Ultimately, the ambiguity in the relationship is part of what makes the book work. It leaves it open for the child reading the book to substitute in whatever relationship he or she was in when experiencing a loss or death.
Review originally posted at Epinions.com http://www.epinions.com/content_42419...
November 4, 2012
Reviewed by Jaglvr for Kids @ TeensReadToo.com
For those trying to describe the sense of loss to young ones, THE DRAGONFLY DOOR is a perfect book to aid in the discussion.
Nym and Lea are two water nymphs that have grown up together. When a the mother lays her eggs, the parents leave the eggs to fend for themselves. So without parents, Nym and Lea have had to rely on each other. Lea is older than Nym and watches out for her.
One day, Nym gets upset at Lea for her constant reminders, such as cleaning the mud from her legs before getting into their bed of leaves. So Nym goes off in a huff, leaving Lea behind.
Wanting to apologize to Nym, Lea goes in search of Nym's favorite water flowers. But on her journey, she becomes short of breath, and doesn't return home.
When night falls, Nym becomes worried, and spends the night alone. The next day, while searching for Lea, Nym becomes increasingly concerned. Still unable to find Lea, at night, while asleep, Nym hears Lea's voice. It calms Nym and tells her to follow her so that she can see where Lea has gone.
Though the book can explain death to small children, the story can also be more than that. At the back of the book is an explanation of the dragonfly lifecycle. It helps explain how things do not stay the same, that things are always changing. Though it seems like Lea has died, she has really gone on to better things; in this example, she has changed into a dragonfly.
For those trying to describe the sense of loss to young ones, THE DRAGONFLY DOOR is a perfect book to aid in the discussion.
Nym and Lea are two water nymphs that have grown up together. When a the mother lays her eggs, the parents leave the eggs to fend for themselves. So without parents, Nym and Lea have had to rely on each other. Lea is older than Nym and watches out for her.
One day, Nym gets upset at Lea for her constant reminders, such as cleaning the mud from her legs before getting into their bed of leaves. So Nym goes off in a huff, leaving Lea behind.
Wanting to apologize to Nym, Lea goes in search of Nym's favorite water flowers. But on her journey, she becomes short of breath, and doesn't return home.
When night falls, Nym becomes worried, and spends the night alone. The next day, while searching for Lea, Nym becomes increasingly concerned. Still unable to find Lea, at night, while asleep, Nym hears Lea's voice. It calms Nym and tells her to follow her so that she can see where Lea has gone.
Though the book can explain death to small children, the story can also be more than that. At the back of the book is an explanation of the dragonfly lifecycle. It helps explain how things do not stay the same, that things are always changing. Though it seems like Lea has died, she has really gone on to better things; in this example, she has changed into a dragonfly.
January 18, 2009
This was a nice book to read about death.
April 6, 2011
storyline unclear
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews