Authors: Janell Cannon.
Hardcover, 56 pages
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Publication Date: 1997-04-01
Edition: 1st

Reviews :

    Young Verdi doesn’t want to grow up big and green. He likes his bright yellow skin and sporty stripes. Besides, all the green snakes he meets are lazy, boring, and rude. When Verdi finds a pale green stripe stretching along his whole body, he tries every trick he can think of to get rid of it--and ends up in a heap of trouble. Despite his efforts, Verdi turns green, but to his delight, he discovers that being green doesn’t mean he has to stop being himself. “Cannon is on a roll, her gift for creating memorable characters and scenes on glorious display in this tale of a feisty python hatchling.”--Publishers Weekly
...

    Verdi is a proud python, flourishing in the flower of his youth. He loves to swiftly slither around the forest, brandishing his bright yellow skin, and can't fathom why anyone would want to be sleepy and green like the adult snakes he knows. Verdi insists, as so many youngsters do, "I will never be lazy, boring or green!" Despite his resolve to stay young, one day he notices a patch of green spreading down the length of his body. Verdi does everything he can think of to erase this first sign of the inevitable tide of age. But in his frenzy of youthful, Icarus-like bravado, he nearly kills himself. Finally, Verdi learns that even though he can't stop the aging process, green skin won't keep him from being a fun-loving, young-at-heart, figure-eight-forming snake.

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)...

Authors: Janell Cannon.
Hardcover, 48 pages
Publisher: Carlsen
Publication Date: 1999-07-01

Authors: Janell Cannon.
Paperback, pages
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: 1999
Edition: First Scholastic Paperback Printing January 1999

Authors: Janell Cannon.
Audio CD, pages
Publisher: Recorded Books
Publication Date: 2003

Authors: Janell Cannon.
Paperback, pages
Publisher: Scholastic book Services
Publication Date: 1997

Authors: Janell Cannon.
Misc. Supplies, pages
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Publication Date: 1999-07-26


Reviews :

    Verdi, Janell Cannon's bestselling picture book, has captured the affection of readers everywhere. Now the feisty yellow snake who doesn't want to grow up to be boring and green is available as a soft and flexible finger puppet-just the right size for little fingers! Although small in size, Verdi is BIG on fun. He's the perfect companion for story time, playtime-any time! Wrap him around your wrist and he's ready to go anywhere your imagination takes you....

Authors: Janell Cannon.
Hardcover, pages
Publisher: Harcourt Children
Publication Date: 1997-04-01

Authors: Janell Cannon.
Audio Cassette, pages
Publisher: Recorded Books
Publication Date: 1997

Authors: Janell Cannon.
Unknown Binding, pages
Publisher: Topeka Bindery
Publication Date: 2001-10

Authors: Janell Cannon.
Paperback, pages
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Publication Date: 1997