Among all the creatures in the animal kingdom, there are many that
strike fear into the hearts of humans. Snakes and bats are two of those,
and Janell Cannon didn't shy away from those, so after that she turned
her attention to a beast not so much feared as reviled. Cockroaches are
ancient and incredibly resilient, and they have a way of turning up just
where you least want to see them. But in Crickwing, Cannon
introduces us to a cockroach that is actually adorable. And while he
behaves unpleasantly through a portion of the book, armed with the
insight as to why he acts this way, we can't feel too much animosity
toward him.
As in Stellaluna, Crickwing
begins with a startling encounter between the protagonist and a more
dangerous animal - in this case, a frog. The close shave leaves
Crickwing crippled, his wing throbbing constantly much like curmudgeonly
Dr. House's
hated leg. Since popping pain pills isn't a viable option, our
multi-legged friend turns to art therapy. Concentrating on his creations
gives him a sense of purpose, and the idea is that after he admires the
finished product for a while, he will eat it. But that never seems to
work out for him because he's such a small fellow, and there's always
some bigger animal waiting around to swipe his dinner before he can
enjoy it.
I was surprised to see reptiles and mammals in this
book; while Cannon does manage to make Crickwing and the leaf-cutter
ants he happens upon cute enough, the richly colored frog, lizard,
monkey and ocelot are gorgeous. I especially like the illustration in
which Crickwing cowers while a pair of wide ocelot eyes peer in at him
through a crack. With so many brutes out to get him, one can understand
why he might be tempted to assert that same sort of authority over the
tiny ants he meets. But will bullying others really bring him true
satisfaction, especially when a greater threat looms before them all?
This book came out in 2000, so I wonder if it was influenced by A Bug's Life;
I see definite echoes of that movie in the storyline of the peaceful
leaf-cutters being forced to present an offering to the ferocious army
ants and in the plan that is devised to defeat them. Nonetheless, I
found Crickwing to be both charming and refreshing, a beautifully
written story of cooperation with astounding illustrations to match.
While the full-color, full-page paintings are the most engrossing of the
pictures, the tiny ink drawings the complement the text are also
noteworthy, and the wording is carefully crafted.
I'd suggest this for a slightly older audience than Stellaluna, whose gentle themes of friendship and motherly love make for grand bedtime reading. Crickwing
is longer and more action-oriented. Four pages of biological notes on
cockroaches and ants follow the story, concluding this book of supreme
moral, artistic and educational value.
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