The Dragonfly Secret

The game last night was a blow out 48-12, with Oconto Falls losing, but it was a lot of fun to sit in the stands. The temps hovered in the low 40s, high 30s, and the poor girls wore their skirts until half time. They cheered, and us parents cheered along while snuggled under blankets trying to stay warm. I'll post some pictures from the game tomorrow; today is Mia & Mommy's Book Blog, and Mia can't wait to get started!

The Dragonfly Secret written by Clea & John Adams, and illustrated by Barbara L. Gibson is the sequel to The Dragonfly Door. It's a lushly illustrated book about a favor a dragonfly, named Lea, does for a little boy. Here's what Mia as to say first: The book was about the dragonfly's secret which was to hop on a cap, and then land on a bear. The little boy and his grandparents were spirits. Lea hopped on the bear and the cap to let the little boy's parents know that he was thinking about them and loved them. It made me happy because the spirits were able to get a message to their family. But if this had been a real [true] story, I would have been sad. My favorite part was the last page where the parents are happy. The pictures were magnificent, beautiful paintings. Now my thoughts. Gibson's paintings of a garden are lovely and capture the beauty of nature. The story about Lea, the dragonfly, and the boy is sad and sweet all at the same time. The secret about the true nature of the boy and his grandparents isn't revealed until the last few pages, but parents and maybe older children will pick up on the subtle clues. I was a bit worried about how Mia would react to the revelation, but she wasn't bothered at all. She was charmed by the idea that the people who were mourning could be comforted by the antics of a dragonfly. It's a great book for kids who may be suffering from a loss, and those who haven't may find strength when confronted by grief.

Molly is getting her hair done in anticipation of this evening. She's already getting a bit nervous. Pix to come tomorrow. And on Monday I'm starting a new book contest, one that parents of boys won't want to miss!