Friday, September 5, 2008

Dragonflies In Fact and Fiction







Breen, Steve Stick
E Breen
A young frog with a very long tongue zaps a dragonfly

and gets carried away to New Orleans. He has all kinds of
adventures until he longs for his home. A heron helps out
and soon he is reunited with his mother. Again, he gets
hungry….and find out what happens as he zaps a firefly!
Colorful, detailed illustrations.















Camper, Cathy Bugs Before Time:
Prehistoric Insects and Their Relatives
J 565.7 Camper
Did you know that the prehistoric dragonfly was the largest insect

that ever lived? Did you know their wings measured 30 inches across?
This book will give you an idea of the ancient version of the cockroach
(one kind could grow 6 inches), and I’m guessing it would be exceedingly
difficult to step on a bug that’s as big as your shoe! Also, check out the
gigantic ants, and the ancient millipede called “Arthropleura” that could
reach six feet long! This book presents scientific information is a fun way!
This book would be of interest to a dinosaur lover or aspiring entomologist.















Rodanas, Kristina Dragonfly’s Tale
J 398.21 Rodanas
This legend is based on an ancient Zuni legend.
The Ashiwi people were blessed with plenty of food.
They decided to show off for their neighbors, so they
devised a food fight to show that they had so much food
they could waste it. The Corn Maidens, who were
responsible for the abundance, were not treated well during
a visit and they were also angered at the wasting. Two little
forgotten children save the day with kindness and a hand-fashioned
dragonfly. Beautifully illustrated.


Simon, Hilda The Racer: Speed in the Animal World J 591.1852 Simon
This book discusses 14 of the speedy animals. One chapter covers
the dragonfly. I discovered that South American Indians thought they were spirits of the dead and the Japanese believe
they are symbols of victory. I found out that dragonflies can fly at speeds over 30 miles per hour. Check out the information on other “speeders” like the jackrabbit, marlin and sand lizard.
Beautiful illustrations.