Guide Note:Janell Cannon's Stellaluna is a children's book about a baby fruit bat who is separated from her loving mother when an owl attacks them. Stellaluna is knocked out of her mother's grasp and lands in a nest full of baby birds. The mother bird accepts Stellaluna and adopts her as her own on the condition that she behaves like a good bird and not a bat. Stellaluna learns to accept that although she is different from her bird family, she loves and accepts them for who she is.

In 2004 an animated film was based on the book was released. While the overall story is the same, some changes were added. New characters were added to the story and the ending varies from the book as well. These scenes change the original feel of the book, but the author's original message reaches the audience just the same: the importance of looking beyond external appearance, and learning to accept each other, even when there seem to be differences.

Janell Cannon received the OBC Bat Conservation Award in 2005 for her children's books, including Stellaluna.

Fast Facts:

1. Author: Janell Cannon
2. Publication: 1993
3. Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
4. Illustrated by the author
5. Adapted to animated film in 2001
6. 1994: Won the ABBY Award
7. 1995: Won the Keystone to Reading Book Award
8. 1996: Won the California Young Reader Medal
9. Often used in classrooms to teach diversity

About the Author:

1. Born: November 3, 1957
2. Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
3. Worked as a graphic artist for Carlsbad Library
4. Has worked on summer reading programs for children