Trupp: A Fuzzhead Tale [Hardcover]

Janell Cannon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 1995 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Trupp, a young Fuzzhead, decides to venture into the world. With a cheeky raven for a companion, Trupp rambles through the city, going virtually unnoticed by humans--that is, until they are confronted by a homeless woman who sees Trupp for who he really is. Before Trupp can decide whether to stay or run away, this unusual woman realizes that he could use a little help. “Fans of Stellaluna, Cannon’s exceptional debut book, will approach her second with high expectations--and those will be met.”--Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of Stellaluna, Cannon's exceptional debut book, will approach her second with high expectations-and those will be met. Carefully crafted prose and stunning art shape a story that delicately spans the fictional and real, at the same time delivering a message worthy of reflection. Curious about what lies beyond his Family Cave, Trupp, a cat-like creature with snow-white fur and ice-blue eyes, walks for days until he approaches "people-dwellings." The peace-loving Fuzzhead borrows clothing from a scarecrow so humans won't notice his odd appearance and, accompanied by a raven, heads for a city. No one on the bustling streets pays any attention to Trupp until he meets a homeless woman named Bernice, who removes a piece of broken glass from his foot and takes him to a safer part of town. Equally affecting as her text, Cannon's poignantly detailed acrylic and pencil art underscores the contrasts between Trupp's primitive homeland and the gritty, graffiti-scarred city; and between his ethereal presence and the eccentric, gaudy appearance of Bernice, who keeps half a dozen toothbrushes tucked into her woolen cap. As the new friends settle down to sleep in the park, Bernice's wise words expose the heart of the story: "Funny, isn't it? I wear all this bright stuff to keep from feeling invisible. When people stare at me, it helps me know I'm here. But Trupp puts on clothes so he will disappear." Cannon says so much so simply. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5^-7. From the author of Stellaluna (1993) comes the tale of Trupp, a young fuzzhead, a white-furred creature resembling a cat. Determined to see the world, he leaves his family's cave in the cliffs and makes his way to the city. There he befriends Bernice, a homeless woman who understands him, helps him, and sends him on his way home. Young children may be disturbed by the scene in which Bernice and Trupp are attacked by a man who then flees when Trupp reveals himself as a talking animal and threatens the man with his claws. Deft and accomplished, the artwork includes soft-edge acrylic-and-pencil paintings in full color that fill the pages as well as small black-and-white drawings that decorate the text. The story, though, rambles rather aimlessly and mixes fantasy and realism in a vaguely disquieting way. One picture of Trupp wearing clothing and walking along a city street echoes a Garth Williams illustration in Margaret Wise Brown's Three Little Animals, a more satisfying picture book in which wild things come to the city. Readers who adore Cannon's first book may want to see this one, but Trupp is no Stellaluna. Carolyn Phelan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (April 24, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152001301
• ISBN-13: 978-0152001308
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 10.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,166,291 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Janell Cannon's picture books have won many awards and are beloved around the world. Before she became a full-time creator of books for children, she designed and produced summer reading programs at her local public library. Born and raised in Minnesota, Ms. Cannon now lives in Southern California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, but ended abruptly, January 18, 2003

By 

Catherine Hallberg "(Kate)" (Boulder, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trupp: A Fuzzhead Tale (Paperback)

Trupp is a very cute critter- cuddly and curious, someone I would like to have visit my home. The "scientific" explanation at the beginning is cute and lends a touch of authenticity to the story- after all, Blancofelis dexterodactylus *must* exist if this kind of information is available on them. :-)

The story illustrates that many of us just don't see what we don't expect. Most humans are pretty wrapped up in our own lives, after all and wouldn't see Trupp visiting the city either. Of course, a lot of people don't see the homeless either so it's appropriate that the homeless people are the *only* ones who see Trupp.

Trupp gets tired quickly and wants to go home after only one night with the humans. Initially the ending felt very abrupt, but when I thought of how quickly children want to stop doing things sometimes, it made more sense. How many of us have spent an hour getting a child to an art exhibit or playdate, only to have the child ready to leave before we're even settled? That's the feeling Trupp's departure gave me.

This isn't the authors best, but the illustrations are charming. It can provide a springboard for discussing homelessness and other "different" people. Another reviewer stated that children don't expect a children's story to discuss homeless people, but if children see them around, they'll need to learn about them.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A middle school teacher, January 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Trupp: A Fuzzhead Tale (Hardcover)

Trupp is truly a marvel! Not only is it beautifully illustrated like Stellaluna and Verdi, but it's also a very useful teaching tool. I use it to discus the concepts of compassion toward the less fortunate and the sad reality of the way our society tends to look right through what they don't wish to see. Trupp and Bernice (the homeless woman in the story) help each other out. There is a gorgeous double page spread that displays the contents of Bernice's shopping cart when it is tipped over. We see all sorts of things including diplomas, pictures of Bernice in her life before homelessness, and other objects that speak of what she used to have. This is a great starting place for discussions with children about why there are people living on America's streets. There's another character too that shows the unfortunate effects of the deregulation of our nations mental health institutions. Heavy concepts... yes! Heavy handed treatment... certainly not! Cannon is a genius in the way she handles these touchy subjects.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Janell Cannon's best., August 5, 2002

By 

Deborah L. Woodstuff "IntoTea" (Wellsburg, WV USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trupp: A Fuzzhead Tale (Hardcover)

This story ended abruptly and left confused expressions on my daughters and my faces. AT first I thought that some pages were missing but this was not the case.
Also, the introduction at the begining made it seem like Fuzzheads are real creatures.
Stellaluna and Verdi are much better and truly can not compare to this book.
I have three other books by the author and am glad I borrowed this from the library first.