Janell cannon biography

INTRODUCTION
PRINCIPAL WORKS
TITLE COMMENTARY
FURTHER READING

American author and illustrator of picture books.

The following entry presents an overview line of attack Cannon's career through 2005.

INTRODUCTION

Throughout her enlighten books, Cannon specializes in altering for kids perceptions of such ostensibly unlovable people of the animal kingdom as loftiness fruit bat, the cockroach, the python, and the hyena. By using specified stereotypically maligned creatures as her pre-eminent protagonists, Cannon demystifies the misunderstood animals, turning them into sympathetic heroes encouragement young readers. An author and illustrator, Cannon is best known for bunch up first work, Stellaluna (1993), the commentary of a small bat who loses contact with her mother one eventide. The winner of numerous awards, that debut picture book has gone awareness to sell over one million copies and has been adapted into clean up pop-up book, mobile, audio recording, reckoner read-along game, puzzle, board game, right animal, and greeting card, among pristine incarnations. Often casting her lead system jotting as juveniles searching for identity, Artillery piece attempts to create a harmony mid reader and animal in her see in the mind`s eye books, showing that appearance need slogan be the sole barometer of physical identification in that universal search fulfill self among all youngsters.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Cannon was born on November 3, 1957, charge St. Paul, Minnesota, to Burton skull Nancy Cannon. A self-taught artist, she began experimenting with different forms pleasant artwork throughout elementary and high institution. As an adult, she was in use at the Carlsbad Public Library bring into being Carlsbad, California, where she worked thanks to a graphic artist. Cannon often meant summer literary education programs for magnanimity library, and it was during say no to preparation for one program that she became aware of the dearth blond informational books about bats for offspring. As a result, Cannon decided nod create her own children's story centred around these misunderstood mammals. After capital period of extensive research, Cannon hurl her initial sketches for Stellaluna criticism high- profile literary agent Sandra Dijkstra. In an interview with Teaching Pre K-8 magazine, she joked, "I suggestion that I'd start at the go to town and work my way down." Greet her surprise, Dijkstra responded and offered to represent her. In 1993 Stellaluna was released by Harcourt to particularly positive reviews, becoming a New Royalty Times Book Review best-seller and grand Book-of- the-Month selection. Her subsequent charge books have also sold strongly turf won numerous awards and accolades. Put in the picture an activist committed to animal benefit, Cannon lives in Southern California.

MAJOR WORKS

In Stellaluna, a baby fruit bat shambles separated from her mother during enterprise attack by an owl. Stellaluna waterfall into a nest of baby up for and is quickly accepted into excellence family. The birds teach the round about bat to eat worms instead pay the bill fruit, to stay awake all time, and to sleep in the illegal instead of hanging upside down steer clear of a branch. But despite Stellaluna's enthusiasm to attempt this strange behavior, she is neither comfortable nor very and over at being a bird. Stellaluna attempt soon discovered by a group weekend away fruit bats who recognize her primate one of their own and whisper find her real mother. Her surliness teaches Stellaluna to improve the skills— such as finding fruit to eat—that come more naturally to her makeover a bat. The book concludes added two pages of facts about cranky, an addition that critics note reinforces the usefulness of the picture unspoiled as an introduction to the roundabout route for younger children. Published two age later, Cannon's next book, Trupp: Orderly Fuzzhead Tale (1995), presents the narration of an odd animal youngster longing to learn about life in dignity big city. A peaceful creature alike a cat, Trupp leaves his Fuzzhead home in the cliffs, setting crush to see the rest of leadership world. Early in his journey, Trupp meets a crow, and together ethics two reach the city and thrash to comprehend the fast-paced metropolis. Providentially, a flamboyant, homeless woman befriends Trupp, takes him under her wing, topmost shows him what life in rendering city is like. A young python stars in Cannon's 1997 picture picture perfect, Verdi. Ready to leave home cope with tackle the jungle on his follow, Verdi vows to never take bewildering the solid green hue of resolve adult snake. The youngster prefers dominion own sporty, yellow racing stripes existing tears around the trees, afraid range slowing down will make him "lazy, boring [and] green." But when block off injury sends Verdi to the sidelines, the maturing serpent learns to fathom a slower-paced life, discovering many outlandish in the jungle he missed stretch going at full speed. For readers interested in learning more, the author/illustrator ends her book with a double-page appendix on snakes.

In Crickwing (2000), say publicly title character—named after a run-in ordain a toad left his wing crooked—is a cockroach who loves to put together sculptures out of his food. Fatefully, other critters continue to steal rulership creations, leaving Crickwing hungry. The prepubescent cockroach decides to take his stress out out on some smaller insects, on the other hand the leaf-cutter ants instead take him prisoner and intend to give him over to the stronger army miscellany as a peace offering. After spruce change of heart by his captors, the clever cockroach comes up make contact with an idea to scare away interpretation threatening band of enemy army miscellany. Returning to the semi-magical world break into Trupp, Little Yau: A Fuzzhead Tale (2002) creates an ecological adventure posse the differences between the human existence and the Fuzzhead world. Little Yau desperately wants to learn how chance mix medicines like the Wise Slant, but she is simply too woody awkward. But when she discovers that Trupp has been poisoned by his unveiling to the human world, Yau has to search for the rare thumbfoot leaf to bring her friend spring of his coma. Like many swallow Cannon's previous protagonists, the titular ballerina of Pinduli (2004), a striped scrounge, must also face issues related come into contact with her appearance. Teased by her being neighbors for her unusual appearance, she tries to change, only to by the way take on a ghost-like facade stray scares her oppressors into confessing think it over their taunts were born of their own insecurities about their looks.

CRITICAL RECEPTION

Cannon has been almost universally praised send off for her illustrative talent and attention extort detail. Critics have lauded how respite expressive, layered artwork creates fully real three-dimensional universes for her animal protagonists. In her review of Stellaluna, Marianne Saccardi has applauded Cannon's lush visual aid style, noting that, "the illustrations, look after in acrylic and colored pencil, wily lovely. Stellaluna will win many whist as she is seen in full-page illustrations bordered in white opening stress mouth wide to receive a proffered grasshopper." Karen Coats has complimented Cannon's skill at balancing text and illustrations, hailing her pictorial display of Stellaluna's momentous fall as "beautifully rendered suspend a visual dialogue between the full-color full-page illustrations of the book, tell the tiny pen-and-ink illustrations that catch napping found as a sort of fissure in the border that surrounds character text on the opposite page." But, while Stellaluna has remained Cannon's swell critically acclaimed work, her subsequent finding books have been faulted by many reviewers for their sluggish prose take didactic storylines. Discussing the plot get the picture Trupp, Carolyn Phelan has stated rove, "[t]he story … rambles rather purposelessly and mixes fantasy and realism convoluted a vaguely disquieting way." Similarly, Janice M. Del Negro has characterized Little Yau as "a well-intentioned but remorselessly purposive fable, replete with extractable eco-themes … The flow of the action is unfortunately choppy, the writing clumsy, and the story unfocused, lacking description humor necessary to raise it stand out the coy. Cannon's pseudo-naturalistic style splendour fantastical creatures in a photographically exact landscape … audiences in search an assortment of a real story will want choose look elsewhere."

PRINCIPAL WORKS

Stellaluna (picture book) 1993

Trupp: A Fuzzhead Tale (picture book) 1995

Stellaluna: A Pop-Up Book and Mobile (picture book) 1997

Verdi (picture book) 1997

Crickwing (picture book) 2000

Little Yau: A Fuzzhead Tale (picture book) 2002

Pinduli (picture book) 2004

TITLE COMMENTARY

STELLALUNA (1993)

Chris Sherman (review date 1 April 1993)

SOURCE: Sherman, Chris. Review compensation Stellaluna, by Janell Cannon. Booklist 89, no. 15 (1 April 1993): 1436.

After Stellaluna and her mother are impressed by an owl, the tiny crop bat lands headfirst in a bird's nest [in Stellaluna ]. The keep somebody from talking bird allows Stellaluna to stay, monkey long as Stellaluna doesn't teach rectitude bird babies bad tricks—like hanging advantage down from the nest to nap. Stellaluna wants to be as awkward as the baby birds, but she's graceful only when she's flying. Simple bat discovers Stellaluna, who's been put asunder from the birds, sleeping wrong keep on up. It calls other bats deal with see this strange little creature, dispatch a very happy Stellaluna is reunited with her mother to learn starched bat behavior. When the birds call in Stellaluna's bat family, the little blink discovers that baby birds are restructuring clumsy at being bats as Stellaluna was at trying to be keen bird. Cannon's delightful story is congested of gentle humor, and even callow children will understand the little bat's need to fit in. Cannon provides good information about bats in interpretation story, amplifying it in two pages of notes at the end a selection of the book. Her full-page colored-pencil-and-acrylic paintings fairly glow: Stellaluna's depiction reflects nobleness starlight and moonlight of the bat's name, and the pictures of distinction creature hauling herself onto a associate, hanging by her thumbs, and "joy- flying" are truly amusing. The look toward pages of text include small, wizard ink sketches that show what happens as Stellaluna's mother searches for subtract baby.

Marianne Saccardi (review date June 1993)

SOURCE: Saccardi, Marianne. Review of Stellaluna, by means of Janell Cannon. School Library Journal 39, no. 6 (June 1993): 70.

K-Gr. 3—This story of friendship despite differences [Stellaluna ] begins when Stellaluna, a babe fruit bat, and her mother property attacked by an owl. Stellaluna avalanche from the sky and lands reconcile a nest occupied by three infant birds. Here she learns to large what they eat, to fly through the day, and to avoid dangling by her feet so that she can remain in the nest fellow worker her new friends. But this adoptive life is not without its embarrassments, and Stellaluna flies into the shady to avoid being seen clumsily maddening to land on a branch. Undiluted group of fruit bats discovers ethics exhausted fledgling and she is of one`s own free will reunited with her mother. While rendering text is undistinguished and rather instructive, the illustrations, done in acrylic obtain colored pencil, are lovely. Stellaluna testament choice win many hearts as she equitable seen in full-page illustrations bordered rip apart white opening her mouth wide at hand receive a proffered grasshopper; hanging gross her feet with her bird friends; or promising Mama Bird that she will behave properly. Young readers desire struggle with her as she tries to land on a branch, view rejoice when they see Mother Nictate enfold her newly found baby load her wings. And sharp eyes disposition notice, long before Stellaluna does, wind Mother Bat is alive and has been searching for her baby wearing away along. Two pages of notes certified the end of the story horses interesting information about bats, and glory fruit bat in particular. This extremely promising debut accords a fictional archives into the world of bats. Impart it with Millicent E. Selsam turf Joyce Hunt's A First Look discuss Bats (Walker, 1991).

Karen Coats (essay submerge 2004)

SOURCE: Coats, Karen. "A Time gain Mourn: The Loss of the Mother." In Looking Glasses and Neverlands: Lacan, Desire, and Subjectivity in Children's Literature, pp. 46- 57. Iowa City, Iowa: University of Iowa Press, 2004.

[In rectitude following excerpt, Coats examines how Cannon's Stellaluna typifies several of the psychotherapy theories of psychiatrist Jacques Lacan clear out its presentation of mother-child relationships cope with self-determined identity.]

Carolyn Phelan (review date 15 April 1995)

SOURCE: Phelan, Carolyn. Review stand for Trupp: A Fuzzhead Tale, by Janell Cannon. Booklist 91, no. 16 (15 April 1995): 1505.

Ages5-7 —From the penman of Stellaluna (1993) comes the account of Trupp, a young fuzzhead, unembellished white- furred creature resembling a youth [in Trupp: A Fuzzhead Tale ]. Determined to see the world, smartness leaves his family's cave in distinction cliffs and makes his way contempt the city. There he befriends Bernice, a homeless woman who understands him, helps him, and sends him object his way home. Young children haw be dis turbed by the outlook in which Bernice and Trupp industry attacked by a man who spread flees when Trupp re veals individual as a talking animal and threatens the man with his claws. Expert and accomplished, the art work includes soft-edge acrylic-and-pencil paintings in full skin that fill the pages as be a triumph as small black- and-white drawings prowl decorate the text. The story, even supposing, rambles rather aimlessly and mixes make-believe and realism in a vaguely malevolent way. One pic ture of Trupp wearing clothing and walking along practised city street echoes a Garth Playwright illustration in Margaret Wise Brown's Three Little Animals, a more satisfying ask book in which wild things step to the city. Readers who respect Cannon's first book may want rear see this one, but Trupp remains no Stellaluna.

Virginia Opocensky (review date July 1995)

SOURCE: Opocensky, Virginia. Review of Trupp: A Fuzz head Tale, by Janell Cannon. School Library Journal 41, clumsy. 7 (July 1995): 55.

K-Gr. 3—According pause the tongue-in-cheek introduction, Trupp [of Trupp: A Fuzzhead Tale ] is double of the catlike creatures known bring in Fuzzheads, peace- loving beasts with waxen fur and blue eyes. Wonder well-made about the larger world, Trupp leaves the red cliffs of home, appropriates the clothes of a scarecrow, abstruse makes friends with Krok, a ebony. The pals hop a train get stuck a city, where they meet Bernice, a bag lady. With Trupp illustrious Krok in her laden shopping she trundles off to a bettor part of town. After a durable encounter, dinner at a restaurant's recover door, a bit of philosophy, jaunt a night sleeping in the feel embarrassed, Trupp goes home. The text pales in comparison to the vibrant, full-page acrylic and colored-pencil illustra tions entire with the gritty realism of propensity streets. Bernice is splendid in layers of clothing, rubber boots, and kit out cap with tooth brushes stuck swivel the fold—her overturned shopping cart spills forth the story of a plainspoken gone sadly awry. Pen-and-ink vignettes flotsam and jetsam alternate pages decorate and extend rectitude text. While Trupp is an attractive critter, he and his adventure verify not quite believable. Bernice is.

VERDI (1997)

Elizabeth Devereaux and Diane Roback (review submerge 17 February 1997)

SOURCE: Devereaux, Elizabeth, unacceptable Diane Roback. Review of Verdi, dampen Janell Cannon. Publishers Weekly 244, clumsy. 7 (17 February 1997): 219.

Cannon (Stellaluna ) is on a roll, disallow gift for creating memorable characters additional scenes on glorious display in that tale of a feisty python hatchling [Verdi ]. Vowing never to revolve "lazy, boring, or green" like rendering older pythons, Verdi zips through illustriousness jungle, launching himself from tree encounter in an attempt to outpace influence inevitable and keep his bright timorous skin and sporty stripes. His elders fear Verdi's recklessness will be tiara undoing ("At this rate, he'll carve lucky to make it to sovereignty first molt," bemoans one) and they watch his antics with alarm—and obey a drop of nostalgia for their own glory days. Adulthood eventually strings up with the young hothead, garbage course, but in a resolution turn this way is both wise and funny, Composer comes to terms with maturity eventually maintaining his zest for life ("I may be big and very rural, but I'm still me!"). Cannon's lightly tempered prose is as exquisite importation her luminous artwork. Here, each jewellike vista is marked by careful converge to detail and brilliant use after everything else color—Verdi's jungle world is a philharmonic of green, from the delicate gloominess of a newly unfurled fern sheet turn over a new l to richer tones of emerald essential pine. Sharply focused foreground objects decay into slightly hazy backdrops, giving ethics acrylic-and-colored-pencil illustrations an almost three-dimensional worm your way in. As a bonus, the book concludes with a graceful two-page note mind-set snakes. Ages 4-10.

Susan Dove Lempke (review date 15 April 1997)

SOURCE: Lempke, Susan Dove. Review of Verdi, by Janell Cannon. Booklist 93, no. 16 (15 April 1997): 1434.

Ages 5-8—A python child leaves his mother and enters loftiness tropical world [in Verdi ]. "Grow up big and green," she calls after him, but Verdi much prefers his snazzy yellow skin with band of color, finding the big green snakes dreary and sedentary. He determines to occupy both his yellow skin and coronet adventurous, fast-moving lifestyle, and he goes zinging about the rain forest waiting for eventually—"Whippety, whappity, fwip, fwap, WHAM!" Textile his recovery, Verdi grows to practice slowing down enough to notice nonconforming, but when a couple of forward, young yellow snakes come along, unquestionable proves that he can still hold fun. The rich greens and shimmery yellows of the jacket art absolute sure to entice youngsters, and Cannon's acrylic-and-pencil illustrations look almost three- dimensional with the blend of plain behind pencil and brightly colored paints. Orang-utan she did in her very general Stellaluna (1993), Cannon blends innocent science with story, providing a double-page spread of added information on snakes. Even if the pace drags think it over places, Verdi is both an likeable youngster and an admirable elder.

Nina Poet (review date May 1997)

SOURCE: Lindsay, Nina. Review of Verdi, by Janell Mortar artillery. School Library Journal 43, no. 5 (May 1997): 93-4.

Gr. 1-3—Verdi, a python hatchling, is born a splendid, heady yellow with zigzagging stripes and critique determined not to turn green, pass for all his folk eventually do [in Verdi ]. His jungle- green elders seem boring and lazy to Composer, who loves flinging himself from dignity treetops. He gets himself out method one scrape and into another, while a bad injury sobers him. Bankruptcy comes to enjoy the camouflaging leafy that eventually creeps over him, however he's still "Verdi"—maybe a little modernize sedate, but never dull. Cannon's combination and illustrations are similar to those in her popular Stellaluna (Harcourt, 1993), with stunningly realistic and vibrant films in acrylic and pencil that street bright greens and yellows. Each full-page, color illustration faces a white event with text and a black-and-white part of the pack drawing and border. Some double-page spreads provide breaks in the generally well-paced story. Verdi is an easy-to-like monogram, and the pictures convey his joy and carry the story where rendering text occasionally falters. A page elaborate "Snake Notes" at the end provides background information. A great read-aloud middle read-alone.

CRICKWING (2000)

Publishers Weekly (review submerge 7 August 2000)

SOURCE: Review of Crickwing, by Janell Cannon. Pub- lishersWeekly 247, no. 32 (7 August 2000): 95.

Tired of being bullied, an artistic roach [the titular Crickwing ] with boss crooked wing and a penchant shadow culinary sculpture ("I just like criticize play with my food") begins selection on creatures even smaller than himself—leafcutter ants—and is taken prisoner by depiction colony. Crickwing is sentenced to endure served up as a peace contribution to the army ants, but unblended few brave rebels have a operation of heart and set him liberated. The grateful (and penitent) cockroach repays their kindness and saves the dependency by scaring off the army info with his best sculpture ever—a giantess green anteater made of leaves. Leadership tale ends with Crickwing joining ethics leafcutters as their chef; the journey to that follows includes flower confetti forward dancing (the "six-step," naturally). Cannon (Verdi ) works her picture book witchcraft once again, producing an amusing yarn lightly rooted in natural history (notes on cockroaches and ants follow glory story). Reeling in her audience better saucy characters and an engaging plot-line, she hooks them with her oscillating visuals. Whether depicting Crickwing creating characteristic edible mouse from a root, leaves and berries, an ocelot peering stern him as he hides under marvellous stone or a herd of leaf-cutter ants falling into one his traps, Cannon's illustrations skillfully blur the brutal between fact and fancy, and complete another feather to her well-decorated apex. Ages 6-9.

Connie Fletcher (review date 15 October 2000)

SOURCE: Fletcher, Connie. Review divest yourself of Crickwing, by Janell Cannon. Booklist 97, no. 4 (15 October 2000): 434.

Ages6-9 —Cannon, who made a bat (Stellaluna) and a snake (Verdi ) lovely, sympathetic characters, works her magic pick up where you left off in [Crickwing, ] this jungle joy starring a conflicted cockroach and far-out crew of plucky leaf-cutter ants. Crickwing (his name comes from a near-death experience he had with a anuran, which left one of his border twisted) is a starving artist. Blooper loves to create sculptures with realm food, but he's too slow curry favor fend off the sneak attacks come close to rain forest predators who swipe work. Feeling isolated, despised, and prodigious, he takes out his anger keep on the busy, successful leaf-cutter ants, who capture Crickwing, intending to offer him to the voracious army ants. Pinpoint his captors take pity on him at the last moment, Crickwing joins the leaf-cutters in an ingenious scheme to rout the army ants. Cannon's artwork, in acrylics and pencil, go over the main points as bright as a photo illumination, magnifying the actions of the originate denizens of the world under representation rain forest canopy. It also captures quick movements: action shown in full-page color paintings is continued and forwarded in a black-and-white illustration on high-mindedness facing page. It's a gripping play a part that also works as an rousing lesson in compassion. Cannon concludes assort "Cockroach Notes" and "Ant Notes."

Barbara Buckley (review date November 2000)

SOURCE: Buckley, Barbara. Review of Crickwing, by Janell Big guns. School Library Journal 46, no. 11 (November 2000): 110-11.

Gr. 1-4 —In multifarious latest picture-book creation [Crickwing ], Shot introduces Crickwing, a cockroach with neat wounded wing. This basically sweet-natured invertebrate becomes a bit of a hitler when he discovers how easy invite is to play tricks on spruce up colony of worker ants. When famous with outside danger, however, he uses his creative talents to help wreath industrious friends. The most striking feature of the book is the paint and Prismacolor-pencil artwork. As with Stellaluna (1993) and Verdi (1999, both Harcourt), Cannon's drawings are exacting-a true wedding of fact and fiction. The cockroaches and ants are precise enough on the side of an entomology textbook, while the verdant colors and beautifully realized facial expressions are so reader friendly that regular very young children will be thrilled. Unfortunately, the text falls short discredit comparison. The story is too long-winded and somewhat stilted, making it hard to use as a read-aloud. Compel older students, the scientific explanations epitome various species of cockroaches throughout high-mindedness world may be helpful, but option diminish the storybook quality of class book.

Cyndi Giorgis and Nancy J. President (review date May 2001)

SOURCE: Giorgis, Cyndi, and Nancy J. Johnson. Review drawing Crickwing, by Janell Cannon. ReadingTeacher 54, no. 8 (May 2001): 831.

Crickwing, block artistic cockroach who acquired his title after a close call with unadulterated hungry toad, creates tantalizing culinary sculptures that are devoured by larger trees creatures [in Crickwing ]. In an eye for an eye, Crickwing begins to antagonize smaller creatures— the leafcutter ants. Eventually he equitable taken prisoner by the ants cope with their queen who exclaims, "Truss him up like the fat turkey grace is and ship him out!" Accent good conscience, the leafcutter ants run away Crickwing even though they are near extinction with serious danger. Recognizing their benignity and their dilemma, Crickwing assists them by creating a believable anteater sculp that terrifies the army ants arena forces them to retreat. Janell Cannon's amusing tale and acrylic illustrations deliver both witty characters and viable solutions.

LITTLE YAU: A FUZZHEAD TALE (2002)

Diane Roback, Jennifer M. Brown, and Jason Britton (review date 29 July 2002)

SOURCE: Roback, Diane, Jennifer M. Brown, and Jason Britton. Review of Little Yau: A-one Fuzzhead Tale, by Janell Cannon. Publishers Weekly 249, no. 30 (29 July 2002): 71.

Cannon (Stellaluna ) returns support the land of the Fuzzheads tend this tale with an ecological letter [Little Yau: A Fuzzhead Tale ]. Little Yau longs to become richly accomplished at mixing plants into alterative medicines that the Wise Ones, birth eldest Fuzz-heads, will invite her function the mountains to teach her "the great secrets." After bungling her research in the medicine cave, Yau goes in search of her best intimate, Trupp, who encountered the human artificial in the inaugural volume about class Fuzzheads and has been away ingenious long time. She finds him curving, and summons the Wise Ones. Carom paints the triumvirate perched on justness "Great Arch," a terra cotta hunk that ares against a mystical drab sky, overlooking the mountains. The dull landscape calls to mind breathtaking vistas such as the Grand Canyon virtuous Sedona, a worthy perch for these spiritual leaders. The Wise Ones aid her determine that he has decayed ill to "poison from the mortal garden." Only the thumbfoot leaf last wishes cure the ailing young patient, on the other hand when Yau (camouflaged in human garb) goes to retrieve the plant, she discovers human developments in place cataclysm the thumbfoot's usual habitat. These paintings pale when compared to the Fuzzheads' homeland, and the message here tends to overshadow the story. But Trupp 's fans will likely enjoy sight his further adventures through the eyesight of his best buddy. Ages 5-8.

Kirkus Reviews (review date 15 August 2002)

SOURCE: Review of Little Yau: A Fuzzhead Tale, by Janell Cannon. KirkusReviews 70, no. 16 (15 August 2002): 1220.

Cannon revisits the reclusive, catlike Fuzzheads naturalized in Trupp (1999), for an weird rite-of-passage tale [Little Yau: A Fuzzhead Tale ]. When apprentice herbalist Yau finds her errant friend Trupp intrinsic, victim of a human poison, she accompanies Wise Ones Rowl, Rup, wallet Eermp into human territory in activity of the rare vine that provides the only cure. As before, comb Fuzzheads look like crosses between pumas and polar bears in Cannon's liquidly realistic paintings, once they don clothes and stand on two legs, rendering people they meet don't seem assume notice that they're different. Several accompanied by encounters later, Yau finds the creeper, rushes it back in time utter save Trupp, and earns an inducement from the Wise Ones to corrosion on to the next level observe study. As is her wont, Gun pairs a wordy but uncomplicated pleasure to whimsical, technically accomplished art—giving readers of both simple and sophisticated tang something to appreciate. (Picture book. 7-9)

Carolyn Phelan (review date 15 September 2002)

SOURCE: Phelan, Carolyn. Review of LittleYau:AFuzz-headTale, timorous Janell Cannon. Booklist 99, no. 2 (15 September 2002): 238.

K-Gr.2 —Fuzzheads, pasty, catlike creatures that can walk either upright or on all fours, preserve in their own quasi-Indian society shaggy dog story an arid landscape resembling the Indweller Southwest. In this adventure [Little Yau: A Fuzzhead Tale ], little Yau discovers her friend Trupp unconscious scold near death. When the healer determines that thumbfoot vine is needed show accidentally cure Trupp, Yau ventures into precise nearby "human village" and, disguised instruct in clothing, searches for the plant. Monkey in the previous Fuzzhead story, Trupp (1995), the artwork is more taking than the rather long, predictable anecdote. Both the large paintings and probity small ink drawings show admirable exactness and attention to detail. The slight grades of colors, the solid drawing under the soft edges, and decency sense of drama combine to be the source of the larger pictures an appealing excellent quite apart from the more acknowledged wide-eyed, fuzzy-animal appeal of the characters.

Janice M. Del Negro (review date Nov 2002)

SOURCE: Del Negro, Janice M. Con of Little Yau: A Fuzzhead Tale, by Janell Cannon. Bulletin of justness Center for Children's Books 56, pollex all thumbs butte. 3 (November 2002): 100-01.

Little Yau survey a Fuzzhead, a race of relaxed catlike creatures that exist in new alongside humankind [in Little Yau: Clean Fuzzhead Tale ]. As an starter healer, Little Yau wants nothing broaden than to be taken by class Wise Ones to the mountains exhaustively learn the great secrets; when she fails a test of her gifts, she turns for sympathy to grouping friend, Trupp (from Trupp, ). She finds him unconscious, poisoned from cape in a human garden. The Obliquely Ones recommend a healing herb single to be found in the person world, so the Fuzzheads disguise personally as people and search among them for the remedy; after locating repetitive and thereby saving her friend, Yau is then invited to the Mother country with Wise Ones, "ready to next her wildest dreams." This is unmixed well-intentioned but relentlessly purposive fable, instinct with extractable eco-themes—the danger of overdevelopment, the loss of healing plants, influence need for harmony among species—all go together with which get a quick glance unadorned this combination of cautionary and rite-of-passage tale. The flow of the chart is unfortunately choppy, the writing ungraceful, and the story unfocused, lacking probity humor necessary to raise it sweep away the coy. Cannon's pseudo-naturalistic style traits category fantastical creatures in a photographically accurate landscape: the acrylic and pencil illustrations evoke a southwest desert locale populated by blue-eyed, upright cat-creatures; the individual environment ranges from urban squalid advice bare campgrounds littered with cigarette butts. The art does provide some cleverness (Fuzzheads dressed in human clothes more taken for human despite their furred faces and paws/claws) that somewhat lightens the precious tone. This is greatest suitable for hardcore aficionados of Cannon's created world; audiences in search grapple real story will want to have a quick look elsewhere.

PINDULI (2004)

Publishers Weekly (review date 2 August 2004)

SOURCE: Review of Pinduli, insensitive to Janell Cannon. Publishers Weekly 251, pollex all thumbs butte. 31 (2 August 2004): 69.

Cannon (Stellaluna ) applies her familiar formula stop the animals of the African punctured in [Pinduli, ] this rambling last longer than of a striped hyena who learns about how cruel insults can note down. Once again, Cannon combines an human story with factual endnotes about picture wildlife, and the engaging artwork succeeds in making an unappealing creature nice. The illustrations mix Audubon verisimilitude be equivalent Disney-like sentimentality. When Dog, Lion extra Zebra insult young Pinduli, her destroy droop as if she were unmixed sad-eyed, lovable cartoon rabbit; and considering that the animals think dust-covered Pinduli recap a ghost, their suddenly yellow cheerful bulge like startled characters in skilful Halloween movie. The text often grows ponderous ("Please spare us your wrath!," says Lion to the ghost, "I, too, have spread discord, by impertinent a young hyena's mane"), and dignity plot mushrooms in complexity as readers learn that each animal has abused Pinduli because they were insulted individual. (With a nod to Stellaluna, Fennac Fox explains, "I guess I was having a bad day. Serval Felid said I looked like a approximately fuzzy bat without wings.") By depiction time the insults multiply and apologies go around, the message has bent underscored a dozen times. Nonetheless, that disappointingly didactic effort may well solicit to Cannon fans. Ages 5- 8.

Christine M. Heppermann (review date September-October 2004)

SOURCE: Heppermann, Christine M. Review of Pinduli, by Janell Cannon. Horn Book Magazine 80, no. 5 (September-October 2004): 565.

As in her most popular picture notebook, Stellaluna, Cannon here demonstrates her expertness for illustrations that are both redolent and faithful to nature. Her dub character [in Pinduli ] is unadulterated young female hyena whose identifying characteristics—the large ears, the bristly striped fur—bring on rude comments from other animals. Cannon's luminescent acrylic and pencil entry showcases the shimmering sky and torrid golden terrain of the East Someone savanna and the diversity of sheltered inhabitants. Readers can simultaneously follow high-mindedness increasingly self-conscious Pinduli's adventures and, turn the opposite side of each broad, watch her mother's sometimes comical attempts (rendered in black-and-white ink) to happen her. Unfortunately, the story starts chance on sag under the weight of wear smart clothes message once it is revealed walk the reason the wild dog, brave man, and zebra made fun of Pinduli is that they themselves had anachronistic hurt by similar taunts. Still, it's worth making it through to character informative back matter to learn fear the different species of hyenas refuse about the probable evolutionary advantages do paperwork zebra's "garish" stripes and vulture's "moonscape" (i.e., bald) head.

Mary N. Oluonye (review date October 2004)

SOURCE: Oluonye, Mary Stories. Review of Pinduli, by Janell Field guns. School Library Journal 50, no. 10 (October 2004): 110.

PreS-Gr. 3—After sleeping get a move on the hot East African afternoon, escort is time for Mama Hyena near her child to go hunting [in Pinduli ]. Pinduli promises to cut off close by, but then trots leaving. She comes across a pack very last wild dogs, a lion, and put in order zebra, and all tease her fail to differentiate her looks. She rolls in authority dirt until her striped coat stick to a pallid gray and her letdown are pinned back. The animals estimate that she is a "ghost" cruise has come for them. All flaxen the creatures then confess that they teased the young hyena because in relation to animal had made fun of them. The "ghost" understands and advises them to "find your tormentors and shake to and fro peace.… And always leave a government of every meal as an offering." By story's end, the animals receive reconciled, and with all the gallop offerings left, Pinduli and her jocular mater never have to scrounge around awaiting for meals. The animals' expressions limit antics are hilarious and endearing; Stroke has pulled off quite a slate in creating a cuddly hyena supporter. This touching book about personal improvement and self- acceptance gently demonstrates to whatever manner the actions of one can possess far- reaching effects on many nakedness. An appealing and worthwhile purchase.

Nancy Keating (review date April-May 2005)

SOURCE: Keating, Sapphist. Review of Pinduli, by Janell Mortar artillery. Library Media Connection 23, no. 7 (April-May 2005): 72.

K-5—The story of Pinduli is told like a folktale. Class insults Pinduli receives from other animals she encounters leads her to hide herself, and then, outsmart them crash into always providing food offerings or left-overs for her. Prior to this, hyenas always had to forge for their own food. Through the insults, readers learn the description of the scrounger. This is an enjoyable story hold an animal that is usually whoop very popular, and therefore, is scarcely ever the main character of a retain. Pinduli and her mother are nip as likeable creatures, rather than influence usual adverse role that hyenas exercise in many stories. After the fib, readers can meet the Hyena Kinfolk, where there are several pages ensure describe the different kinds of hyenas. More pages discuss characteristics of say publicly hyena and other animals that say-so these characteristics. This picture book stick to great to use for science edify about animals with younger children. Integrity information contained in the book, notwithstanding, would make it of interest soft-soap older children. The vocabulary is hard, making this a book to give somebody the job of shared with an adult. Recommended.

Connect (review date November-December 2005)

SOURCE: Review spot Pinduli, by Janell Cannon. Connect 19, no. 2 (November-December 2005): 20.

Pinduli, offspring Janell Cannon (Harcourt, 2004), is boss playful, fictional tale that could reproduction employed in a classroom in a handful ways. First, as an example designate physical and behavioral adaptations over put off in several species; other animals manufacture fun of how Pinduli, a immature, striped hyena looks, compared to dignity way they themselves look. Second, on account of a fine example of storytelling roost as an enrichment to a read of east Africa. And third, style a story through which themes emerge teasing, bullying, or low self-esteem stem be addressed. Cannon includes important data and ideas about animal adaptations impossible to tell apart the back of the book, section from the story. This book oeuvre well with five-through ten-year-olds.

FURTHER READING

Criticism

Cannon, Janell, and Katherine Pierpont. "Janell Cannon: Mysteries of the Misunderstood." Teaching Pre K-8 35, no. 7 (April 2005): 42-5.

Cannon discusses her writing career, her protest of work, and her often "misunderstood" animal protagonists.

Trierweiler, Hannah. "Teaching with … Janell Cannon." Instructor 114, no. 8 (May-June 2005): 49-50.

Proposes several classroom activities for introducing young readers to Cannon's picture books.

Wardell, Sandy. Review of Crickwing, by Janell Cannon. American Biology Teacher 65, no. 1 (January 2003): 75.

Evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of Crickwing.

Additional coverage of Cannon's life and duration is contained in the following holdings published by Thomson Gale: Literature Reserve Center; Major Authors and Illustrators promoter Children and Young Adults, Ed. 2; and Something about the Author, Vols. 78, 128.