Little Skink's Tail

Physical & Behavioral Adaptation

by Janet Halfmann

While Little Skink hunts yummy ants for breakfast, she is suddenly attacked by a crow! But she has a trick to escape. She snaps off her tail, and it keeps on wiggling! Little Skink is happy to be alive, but she misses her bright blue tail. Little Skink's Tail follows Little Skink as she daydreams of having the tails of other animals in the forest. Readers will enjoy pretending with her, trying on tail after tail. The first is too puffy-fluffy, and another too stinky! Then one day Little Skink gets a big surprise...and she doesn't have to dream of tails anymore. The For Creative Minds section has information on tail adaptations and communications and a mix-and-match tail activity. Little Skink's Tail encourages children to be comfortable with themselves as they are.

Genres: Science, Animals, Picture Books, Childrens, Nature

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2007

About the author

Janet Halfmann is a multi-award-winning children’s author who strives to make her books come alive for young readers and listeners. Many of her picture books are about animals, nature, and community. She also writes picture book biographies about little-known people of achievement. Recent titles by Janet include How Can We Be Kind?: Wisdom from the Animal Kingdom; Caterpillar's Surprise; Yay for Big Brothers!; Who Is Singing?; The Clothesline Code; A Bobby-Dazzler of a Pouch!; The Story of Civil War Hero Robert Smalls (Chapter Book for Grades 3-7); Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School; Grandma Is a Slowpoke; Animal Teachers; Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be?; Home in the Cave; Star of the Sea: A Day in the Life of a Starfish; Good Night, Little Sea Otter; Fur and Feathers; Little Skink's Tail; and Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story. Janet has written almost fifty fiction and nonfiction books for children.

Before becoming a children’s author, Janet was a daily newspaper reporter, children’s magazine editor, and a creator of coloring and activity books for Golden Books. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of seven. When Janet isn’t writing, she enjoys gardening, exploring nature, visiting living-history museums, and spending time with her family. She grew up on a farm in Michigan and now lives in WI. Find out more about Janet and her books at:
http://www.janethalfmannauthor.com
https://www.facebook.com/janethalfmann
https://twitter.com/JanetHalfmann
https://www.instagram.com/authorjanet...

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A lizard with feathers?" she exclaimed. "I don't think so!"

It's funny. Because, you know, evolution.

Anyway, this is a cute little picture book that will introduce children to the skink and one of its survival adaptations. The illustrations of the skink with the different animals tails are cute and might get a chuckle out of the kids. Great for kids who love nature and animals.

[P. B. Yeary · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I checked this book out from our local library. Ever since returning it my little girl as requested it over and over! Are you a picture book writer? Parent? Or general consumer of picture books? Come check out my blog, https://pbjellytalez.blogspot.com/, to see why this book, and others, works so well from a parent and a writer's point of view.

[Terry]

Read the full review at the Reading Tub.

[Library Lady Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have liked a little snippet of explanation that a Skink can lose and regrow it's tail

[Penelope Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Skink’s Tail, by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein, is a fun book about a little skink, or lizard, who loses her tail to a hungry crow. Little Skink wonders what it would be like to have a different kind of tail. She imagines she has the tail of the other animals she meets. This results in a series of silly images of a skink with the tail of another animal.

The story of Little Skink is a visual and audio delight. The descriptive words Janet Halfmann chooses give the reader fun words to roll off their tongue like puffy-fluffy, wiggly waggly, flick and fluff, and stickily-prickily. I imagine the children listening to this story will have as much fun with the words and images as the reader does.

The artwork by Laurie Allen Kein is essential to the story’s enjoyment. Little Skink’s Tail is exquisitely illustrated. The animals come alive, displayed in their natural beauty and appeal. This is a story with heart, personality, and fun on every page. It is available in English and Spanish with audio. The audio book is as much a treat for the ears as the book is for the eyes

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Skink's Tail shows how a skink (a type of lizard) can snap off its tail when it's threatened by a hungry crow. "Wiggle, waggle, wiggle, went the tail, wriggling wildly through the fallen leaves." The crow then chases the bright blue tail, letting the little skink run to safety. But what is the skink to do, without its beautiful tail? Maybe she should grow a squirrel's tail? But it's too bushy? What about an owl's tail? A lizard with feathers? No! Sure enough, by the end, her own skink tail had grown back and she can go back to sunning on the rock. It's a simple book, but will engage young listeners and readers (ages 3 - 6).

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age: 4-7 years
Media: Acrylic on canvas

A wonderful telling of a skink lizard losing its tail as a form of protection. She imagines herself with other animal tales in cute and funny renderings. Not ever satisfied, her tail grows back eventually and she is most satisfied with the way she always looks.

Awards:
Mom's Choice Awards honoring excellence
2009 Teacher's Choice Awar from Learning Magazine

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a skink loses her tail while escaping from a crow, she spends the next days imagining what it would be like to have the tails of the other animals around her. Readers will smile at the illustrations of the skink with a fluffy bunny tail or an owl's feathers on her rear. They'll realize, as she does, that none of the other tails will do, and she'll simply have to wait until her tail grows back. This colorful, amusing book made me smile while also teaching me a bit of science.

[Carolyn Combs · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a skink sheds her tail to escape being eaten by a crow, the skink misses her tail and imagines herself wearing the tails of other animals, but she discovers only her own tail will do. Luckily it grows back. Janet Halfman uses playful, vivid language, skillfully weaving together fiction and nonfiction to tell a young audience (4-8) about one of nature's amazing adaptations. The For Creative Minds section at the end provides more opportunity to learning and discussion.

[Stef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grab your kids head to a reading ASAP! It's an interactive good time for both kids and adults. Janet, her husband Tom and daughter Laura make the book come alive.If you're lucky you'll get to play a part in the book.I was an (wise)owl.

[Rani · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a Skink loses his tail, he discovers that the best tail in the whole world.

[LeviSamJuno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cool book. My son and I loved the activities at the end as well as the little hidden things going on in the pictures. Skinks are now his "favorite animal, replacing tigers".

[Dr. Cheryl S. Vanatti]

Read my thoughts over on Reading Rumpus: https://www.readingrumpus.com/2009/02...