Becoming a Dragonfly

November 1, 2016

Gr 1-3-This fabulous series introduces the concept of metamorphosis in the animal kingdom through creatures like the jellyfish, salamander, and butterfly. Chapters are labeled as "Stages," which mirror the actual chronological process of metamorphosis. The accompanying photographs are detailed and close-up, offering an excellent complement to the brief but informative text. In Dragonfly, the photo set of a nymph molting on land is particularly fascinating. Different species are featured, but are generally identified by their different traits as opposed to their names (e.g., "Some salamanders grow lungs. Some keep their gills."). Vocabulary words are highlighted within the text and then defined in the glossary.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2016
Grades 1-3 Detailed, glossy photos get up close and personal with a number of egg-laying insects and are the prime selling feature of the Changing Animals series. Though light on text, these overviews of the early life stages of several critters provide a solid first look for elementary-school readers. Becoming a Dragonfly looks at the extended period of time this creature spends as a nymph, or young insect, before developing into an adult dragonfly, while stressing the importance of water in dragonfly development. The information provided is introductorythere's no mention of differences between species, and the facts are fairly generalbut a wide variety of close-up photos provide plenty of details of all phases of the life cycles discussed and will surely be enough to spur curious budding entomologists toward more comprehensive texts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)