Bibliography
Cannon, J. (1997). Verdi. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace.
Summary of the Plot
Verdi is a python who loves his bold stripes that zigzag down his back. He did not want to rush in growing up and become green. He considered greens (grown up pythons) lazy, boring and extremely rude. He then fell into the river and landed in the mud. Verdi decided to leave the mud on so that he wouldn't turn green. However he could hardly budge with all that mud on. Every time he moved some of it cracked off and he noticed he was even greener than the last time. Verdi was an impetuous snake. One time he jumped up to see the colorful birds but forgot that he would fall back to earth. The greens picked Verdi up and moved him to a safe place so they could watch over him while he healed. Verdi finally became well again and the greens invited him to join them as they went along their way. Verdi however chose to stay up in the trees. Finally two young yellow pythons approached him snickering "Do you think he ever moves?". Verdi asked them to climb trees with them even though he was afraid of putting his eye out. Verdi showed the two young yellows his famous figure eight.
Vi's Vibes
Finally a book about snakes where the snake is not the villian but a good guy. Verdi shows that even though growing older you can still maintain a youthful spirit and be true to yourself. Janell Cannon has done an excellent job of writing the book. She tells through Verdi's viewpoint about his struggles and desires of not growing old and lazy. Even when he injures himself he still dreams of the day when he can return to flying through the air and doing his figure eights.
Reviews
Gr 1-3--Verdi, a python hatchling, is born a splendid, vibrant yellow with zig-zagging stripes and is determined not to turn green, as all his folk eventually do. His jungle-green elders seem boring and lazy to Verdi, who loves flinging himself from the treetops. He gets himself out of one scrape and into another, until a bad injury sobers him. He comes to enjoy the camouflaging green that eventually creeps over him, but he's still "Verdi"--maybe a little more sedate, but never dull. Cannon's layout and illustrations are similar to those in her popular Stellaluna (Harcourt, 1993), with stunningly realistic and vibrant pictures in acrylic and pencil that feature bright greens and yellows. Each full-page, color illustration faces a white page with text and a black-and-white spot drawing and border. Some double-page spreads provide breaks in the generally well-paced story. Verdi is an easy-to-like character, and the pictures convey his exuberance and carry the story where the text occasionally falters. A page of "Snake Notes" at the end provides background information. A great read-aloud or read-alone.--Nina Lindsay, Vista School, Albany, CA
School Library Journal May 1997
Utilization for Library Classes
To use this book in the library or class I would have the students lay down on butcher paper and trace their bodies so that the outline was shown on the butcher paper. I would then lead the class in a discussion of how they are unique individuals and each of them have something special within them. I would point out a few special things about a few individuals in the class. Then would open the discussion up so that classmates could point out unique characteristics about each other. At the end of the discussion I would have the students write on their outlined bodies their unique characteristics or dreams that they might have about growing older.
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