HUMPHREY THE FARSIGHTED DRAGONFLY
© 2002 Written & Illustrated By: Keith D. McSwain Sr.

Colored Picture of Humphrey from the book should be placed here (picture of Humphrey smashing into window off yahoo.com)

INTRODUCTION

Humphrey is a little dragonfly with BIG problems. It all began when his school was chosen to hold the great annual gnat catching competition. For Humphrey it was the perfect time for him to win a trophy just like his dad did when he was about his age. Also, the winner would win a kiss from the prettiest girl dragonfly in the whole school.

Everything was going great for Humphrey until Butch; a mean bully announced that he was going to win the contest no matter what! Butch and his friends, Percy the Praying Mantis and Wally Wasp was making life miserable for poor Humphrey, and if that wasn’t bad enough, Humphrey soon discovered that his vision was becoming worse and worse!

In time, Humphrey had to take what he believed to be a horrifying visit to the doctor’s office, along with the possibility of having to wear glasses! Luckily, Humphrey still had his family and his best friends: Sam the Garden Spider & George Dragonfly to help him understand that there was more to him than just a pair of glasses! Will Humphrey find the courage to enter the contest? Will his family and friends be able to help him? Well, hang on to your hats because: HERE WE GO!!!

KMc

Humphrey, the Farsighted Dragonfly

EXCERPT FROM HUMPHREY:

Did you know that not only are dragonflies the fastest fliers of all insects, but that they have the sharpest eyesight too? Well, it’s true! A dragonfly can see another insect as small as a gnat from eighteen feet away! That is a very long way, but with their four wings, a dragonfly can easily swoop down and catch them using their long legs like a fisherman’s net! Which is a good thing: because gnats are one of a dragonfly’s favourite foods!

Dragonflies are very proud of their shiny, gauzy wings, their beautiful legs and big, bulging eyes. But the one thing that they are most proud of is their eyesight.

A dragonfly without keen eyesight is rather like an elephant without its trunk, or a rhino without its’ horn, or a...uh, well you get the idea. Dragonflies are so proud of their eyesight and their ability to catch gnats that once every spring they would hold a gnat catching competition during The Great Insect Festival in Orlando, Florida. Every year only the best dragonflies from around the neighbourhood and other places far away would come and compete to see who the fastest and sharpest gnatcatcher is for the whole year.

George Dragonfly won the competition last year and everyone was certain that he would win this year too. But George had a little accident after school and crumpled one of his wings. His parents made him come out of the competition until he got better. George was a little angry with his parents at first, but in time he realized that they were right all along. He knew that they made him come out of the contest because they cared and loved him. Sometimes it is not a good thing to play certain sports when you are injured because if you are not careful, you could injure yourself even more.