Stellaluna

= Stellaluna  =



By: Janell Cannon Title: Stellaluna Author/Illustrator: Janell Cannon Publisher San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ©1993. Genre: Children’s book Language: English
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In this story a baby bat, Stellaluna, gets separated by her mother, and taken in by a mother bird and her three babies, Pip, Flitter, Flap. The bird family conditions Stellaluna to act as a bird does and to sleep at night, not hang by her feet and to eat bugs. One day when Stellaluna and the three baby birds were learning to fly they meet up with a group of bats. Stellaluna is reunited with her mother at this time and she finally realizes why she was so different. Stellaluna’s mother shows her how to behave and live like a bat, eating fruit, hanging upside-down and flying at night. When Stellaluna tries to show her bird friends how to be bats, she realizes that they are better at being birds, much as she is better at being a bat. In spite of their differences, Stellaluna and the baby birds remain great friends.
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**Review:** This award winding children’s book is an inviting tale about finding ones self and accepting differences. This story is filled with warm, realistic illustrations that enhance the details of the story of the baby bat's bird-like adventures. I loved this book, I think it is intriguing for students too not only learn about fruit bats but this story is a great way to introduce diversity. By showing how these animals are different in some ways but are still able to get along and be friends is a great theme to introduce to culturally diverse classroom. I would use this in any classroom from kindergarten to grade three! Stellaluna is a beautiful story that follows this little fruit bat and the trials and tribulations that she goes through in her search to find who she is. This book would be great in a lesson focused around the theme of cultural diversity; it is a great way to teach children that being different is okay. This story takes advantage of anthropomorphism, meaning the personification of animals, which attracts young readers. It is easier for them to identify development through these fun and inviting characters.
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By: Chelsea Condon