Diary of a Fly
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Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools -- School Library Journal, 10/9/2008
Diary of a Fly. DVD. 10 min. with tchr’s. guide. Weston Woods. ISBN 0-545-09212-8. $59.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-0-545-09454-2: $29.95; cassette, ISBN 978-0-545-09447-4: $12.95.
PreS-Gr 3–Fly Girl keeps a diary documenting her exploits at Flight School, at home with her 327 siblings, and with friends Worm and Spider in this animated version of Doreen Cronin’s popular book (Joanna Cotler Books, 2007). Though the treatment is whimsical, the narration reveals numerous fly facts, including the insect’s life cycle from egg to maggot to fly. The ladybug babysitter is particularly amusing—after her first visit, 87 of her unruly charges are stuck on flypaper; the second time she brings a frog along and the entire crew remain cowering on top of an apple core just shy of harm’s reach, while their clever sitter reads her book. Spider’s Grandpa, with his spectacles and fedora, is quite amusing; after telling her that she is “a very important part of the food chain,” the old arachnid comes at her with a knife and fork. Fly Girl is convinced that she can be a superhero, citing her superpowers as proof. She can walk on walls, change direction mid-flight, and see in all directions at once with the 4,000 lenses in each eye. Still, Spider points out that real superheroes bend steel and eradicate villains. In the end, Worm assures her that “The world needs all kinds of heroes.” Lively narration by Abigail Breslin and doo-wop music add to the fun. Viewers can also read along with subtitles that turn from white to yellow and watch an interview with Harry Bliss in which he explains how he illustrated the story and anthropomorphized the characters in his amusing, colorful cartoons. This clever production is a perfect blend of fiction and nonfiction, with just enough information to be used in a science or a writing lesson to encourage youngsters to keep their own diaries.
