Module 2 – VERDI, by: Janell Cannon

PLOT:  This is book is about a baby python snake that leaves its nest.  His color is yellow with sporty stripes and he is quite fond of them.  Although resistant he will change to a green color and blend with the rest of the snakes, except he believes that once you are green you become lazy and boring and he doesn’t want to become that.  He does everything to try and prevent the color change but in the end he does turn green. However, he doesn’t forget who he really is because he proves to some younger python snakes that he still has a great attitude and is not lazy and boring.

Cannon, J. (1997). Verdi. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace & Company.

IMPRESSION OF THE BOOK: 

I’m not too keen on snakes but I have to admit I loved the character of Verdi. Typical youngster believes that everyone who is older than him is boring. Verdi he has to learn a few lessons before he learns to settle down and realize that he can really hurt himself. Kids can really relate to this because they really do think that they are invincible, I have two boys and they are constantly getting themselves into harm’s way without thinking of consequences.  I like Verdi when he tries to stop the green color from coming through his skin.  He almost gets eaten up by a fish because he is determined not to change.  Of course it’s even funnier when he springs himself from the tree and falls, practically killing himself and the other snakes have to tie him down so that he can recover physically and mentally. This is a great read that can really touch the lives of young and older readers.

REVIEWS:  Booklist (Vol. 93, No. 16 (April 15, 1997)) Ages. 5-8. A python baby leaves his mother and enters the tropical world. "Grow up big and green," she calls after him, but Verdi much prefers his snazzy yellow skin with stripes, finding the big green snakes boring and sedentary. He determines to keep both his yellow skin and his adventurous, fast-moving lifestyle, and he goes zinging about the rain forest until eventually--"Whippety, whappity, fwip, fwap, WHAM!" During his recovery, Verdi grows to appreciate slowing down enough to notice things, but when a couple of cheeky, young yellow snakes come along, he proves that he can still have fun. The rich greens and shiny yellows of the jacket art are sure to entice youngsters, and Cannon's acrylic-and-pencil illustrations look almost three-dimensional with the blend of plain gray pencil and brightly colored paints. As she did in her very popular Stellaluna (1993), Cannon blends natural science with story, providing a double-page spread of added information on snakes. Even if the pace drags in places, Verdi is both an endearing youngster and an admirable elder.

Lempke, S. (1997). [Review of the book Verdi, by Janell Cannon]. Books for youth: Books for the young. Booklist, 93(16), 1434.

USE IN THE LIBRARY:  This book could be used in the science curriculum as you study animals.  This is a great book to use as an introduction to a lesson.  After reading the story students could research other animals that change colors, animals that are lazy and boring or animals that live in the same habitat as python snakes.  Students can use computers to do this research and prepare a technology presentation or a poster presentation.