"Gecko cleans himself by
licking the grit from his
scaly skin. His tongue whisks
around his face and wipes his
eyes.
The sun will soon set, and
Gecko is getting hungry -
so hungry, he could eat his own
skin!"
Further to the story of this one particular gecko, the author places additional factual information concerning Gecko's species at the bottom of each page of the story. The follow-up for this page says:
"Most geckos' eyes can't close
but are covered by a see-through disk
called a spectacle. Geckos' feet are
self-cleaning - the rolling movement
of their feet sheds dirt as they walk."
As children read the story, it connects them to Gecko himself. They also learn a great deal more than they might have expected. It's a great way to share natural history with young children. Gecko is a fascinating character, whose day's adventures are freely shown. His life is typical of the species. He needs and likes food, and doesn't want to be lunch for his enemies. He is persistent in his search, spending time both day and night watching and catching enough to satisfy his hunger.
"It's dark now and Gecko climbs
higher to search for flying food.
He weaves between leaves, slinks
along branches, and trickles over twigs,
his tongue flicking out to smell the air."
"Most geckos are active at night.
Their big eyes help them see in the
dark. Geckos smell with their
noses and tongues."
The glorious artwork is done in watercolor, acrylic ink, and colored pencil. The paint-splattered backgrounds and use of light and shadow add drama and interest. Both beautiful and fascinating!
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