Teachers’ Praise
“Damselfly is a fabulous novel for literature classrooms across the country, especially when used as a companion piece together with its mentor, The Lord of the Flies. — Lisa Marini, English III Honors and AP Language & Composition Teacher, Kathleen Senior High School, Lakeland, FL
“At its core–literary references and big ideas aside–Damselfly is a gripping narrative that will engage teenage audiences” — Ryan McGuirk, English Teacher, Westwood Regional Junior/Senior High School, Washington, NJ
“I cannot wait to put this book in the hands of my students.” — Liz Carr, Honors English 9/10 Teacher, Lee Honors College, Western Michigan University
“As the Head of the Children’s Department of a large and busy town library, I would strongly recommend Damselfly to my teenage patrons…You will be quickly turning the pages to see the outcome of this compelling novel. Be prepared to stay up all night! — Pat LaTerza, Manager, Children’s Department, North Haven Library, North Haven, CT
“Well-drawn characters who constantly make difficult decisions make this well-paced novel highly engrossing. — Catherine Simmons, Language Arts 9-12 Teacher, Monroe Township High School, Monroe, NJ
“Damselfly, in essence, is the type of novel that holds classic literature up to a modern mirror.” — Joel Neft, 10th Grade English Teacher, The Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, Baltimore, MD
“I think Damselfly and Lord of the Flies are an excellent pairing. I would look forward to teaching them together and having students compare and contrast points of views and analyze theme, plot, and tone.” —Dr. Hillary M. Weissman, English Department Chair, Manual Arts High School (LAUSD), Los Angeles, CA
“Not merely an updated version of William Golding’s classic Lord of the Flies, however, Damselfly manages to simultaneously address contemporary issues of class, ethnicity, and what it means to be human–and humane–in the 21st century.” —Brian T. Murphy, English Instructor, Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY
“Damselfly is engaging, exciting, and suspenseful without being frivolous or superficial—a balance that I desire in YA choices for my students.” — Kristen Degnan, English Teacher, North Haven High School, North Haven, CT.
