Verdi
by Janell Cannon

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Book Reviews of Verdi

Book Review: Magnificent illustrations!
Summary: 5 Stars

Fundamentally the story is simple. Verdi the baby snake zipps around happily, bored by the big green (complaining) adults. In his amusing quest to remain yellow and striped (young) he gets injured. The greens (adult snakes) take care of him by straping him to a branch so that he can heal. During his forced convalescence, he notices for the first time some of the magical beauty about him. He also learns that the big greens were once young and reckless also. Their response to the injuries that they had suffered was to want to live "the quiet life". By the time that Verdi heals, he too is big and green. At the end of the story he comes across a couple of fidgety young yellow snakes (very much as he was) and ends up playing with them (although being a bit more cautious). After all, he may be big and green, but "I'm still me".

This is a great book on several different levels. First, putting the snake as the protagonist is a refreshing change. The snake is a creature with a home, the jungle, and the portrayal makes for a less scary oportunity for children to learn some snake facts. The illustrations also help with the educational aspect, being so inviting that you are really drawn into them. Also, it is a story about growth and choices.

The language is indeed very direct and simple. In reading the comments of another reviewer, I noted the reviewer's estimation of the writing as being not up to par. I would have to dissagree, although from a less experienced perspective as the reviewer. I feel that the voice of the snake is appropriately somewhat "young". Also, I feel that this is a book where the language is more of a narration to the amazing pictures, but that it works very well in this case. When I had the opportunity to read this to my son's kindergarten class, the children were all so "into" the story that they had a hard time staying on their mats. The illustrations work with the story. At the start, the colors are very beautiful, but when the story slows down as Verdi heals, the illustrations come alive with detail. Just as the story is making the point that when you slow down you can notice things you didn't see before, you end up spending a lot of time seeing the detail finding the little hidden critters in the jungle.

The story is about attitude, growth and wisdom, beautifully illustrated. Verdi learns about the beauty about him, that he only notices when he slows down to observe it, as well as the consequences of reckless behaviour. He also learns that turning green (growing older) doesn't mean that he can't enjoy his life, in fact finding wonderful new things that he hadn't known about before. Through it all, Verdi maintains his sense of wonder and fun. Can we hope for more from life?

Summary of Verdi

Janell Cannon's illustrations are exquisite. As in her award-winning Stellaluna, not only are the animal drawings painstakingly accurate, they are also awash with movement and beauty. The countless shades of greeny-yellow and yellowy-green have the effect of a cool eye compress for the reader--calming, inviting, and enticing readers to reach into the lush environment of the pages. Verdi's lesson is never didactic, always compelling, and pleasantly surprising. (Ages 4 and older)

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