"Cute leopard geckos are different from other geckos
in several ways. Their toes do not have adhesive toe
pads, so they can't climb smooth vertical walls. But
they can raise themselves up on more or less straight
legs above the ground. And unlike most other kinds
of geckos, they have movable eyelids and are
sometimes said to wink. Like some fish and crocodiles,
they are polyphyodonts - each of their 100 teeth gets
replaced every three or four months."
In a lengthy introduction the author explains that while not all reptiles are lizards, all lizards are reptiles. She also tells her readers that there are about 6,000 species, and they live around the world in forests, deserts, and tropical areas. They can be as small as 1.3 cm or as big as 3 meters in size! Most are harmless and many are helpful.
"Lizards have been around much longer than even the dinosaurs -
they go back more than 300.000.000 years."
What fun it is for kids interested in knowing more about the animal world to turn from page to page in this informative and engaging book about 21 lizard species, all presented in their actual size. That gives readers a real sense of perspective for each one. Doing careful research and making well-considered choices for each entry is both helpful and intriguing. Roxie is a master at creating such nonfiction for young readers.
Each lizard is given a clear paragraph of important information, alongside its India ink and acrylic illustration. Backgrounds present a welcome setting for each, and allows readers a chance to see it in its own environment. The largest lizard - the Komodo dragon - takes up two double-page spreads without even showing just how long its tail actually is.
In back matter, Ms. Munro adds more material concerning each lizard, an author's note, a list of other books and websites, a glossary for the italicized words, and an index.
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