Teaching with … Janell Cannon: introduce Janell Cannon's wonderful animal stories with our exclusive mini-poster and activities

Instructor, May-June, 2005 by Hannah Trierweiler

ACTIVITIES

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1 Animal Adventures Janell Cannon writes and illustrates books about unfamiliar, unlovable creatures. Invite students to use a three-panel storyboard to illustrate the beginning, middle, and end of their own stories about unusual animals. Then have children write two or three sentences for each panel.

2 Before-and-After Feelings Graphs Build compassion and math skills by graphing how kids feel about Janell's misunderstood heroes before and after reading each book. For example, graph how many kids say cockroaches are scary before and after reading Crickwing. Discuss how and why feelings have changed.

3 Science Murals From Pinduli's savannah to Verdi's rainforest, Janell writes about ecosystems with magnificent detail. Create a mural based on one of these ecosystems. First make a backdrop with butcher-block paper. Then have each child draw, color, cut out, and label a different animal to include in the mural. Arrange the animals in a "web of life" that shows the ecosystem's food chain.

4 Sideline Stories The illustrations on the left-hand pages of Janell's books often tell a story separate from the main narrative. (In Pinduli, Mama Hyena searches for her baby in these small sketches.) Copy and enlarge these drawings and put them in a writing center. Kids will love thinking up their own text for them.

ABOUT Janell

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Janell Cannon has made a career out of championing the underdog. A former librarian, she was disappointed with the selection of books about bats, so she decided to write her own. Her first best-seller, Stellaluna, was born.

Janell got the idea for her new book, Pinduli, while visiting the San Diego Zoo. She fell in love with a hyena and was saddened to learn that visitors often made negative remarks based on stereotypes about that animal. Janell knew she had a new hero!

Using The Mini-Poster:

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* DISPLAY IT along with student book reviews on a bulletin board for the whole school to enjoy.

* SHARE IT with older "reading buddies" to give them ideas for what to read to younger children and fun facts to talk about, too.

* POST IT on your classroom door with a banner reading "Now Starring ..." to build excitement for an author study.

* LAMINATE IT and put it in a tote bag with some of Janell's stories. Do the same with other favorite authors and encourage children to take a bag home for the summer.

Write to Janell!

Janell keeps every piece of mail she gets. Fans can send their drawings, comments, and animal questions care of her publisher:

Janell Cannon

Harcourt Children's Books

525 B Street, Suite 1900

San Diego, CA 92101

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