The whole neighborhood heard the cries, as this story will reprise. Grandma started to put on a shoe, but could not believe here eyes. This read-aloud tale is guaranteed to draw snickers, giggles and belly laughs from two- to ten-year-olds, and readers of all ages. In Grandma Found A Gecko, the narrator, shares a childhood memory of a stubborn contest between human and reptile natures that ends in mutual delight. Author Vincent F. A. Golphin (African American Children's Stories: A Treasury of Tradition and Pride) and illustrator James P. Cottage (After) produce a fanciful fiction primed to peak children's interests and imaginations. At the same time, in the tradition of classics such as The Velveteen Rabbit , the work reaches adults' hearts, too. Vincent F.A. Golphin's humorous children's picture book has got to be the best thing that's happened to me all day. I couldn't stop grinning.... Golphin's dynamic and very funny story is masterfully accompanied by the illustrations and graphic design work of James P. Cottage.... While Grandma Found a Gecko begs to be read aloud, it's a perfect choice for new readers to try on their own. The story is catchy, the humor infectious, and the vocabulary is suitable for younger readers. - Readers' Favorite Grandma Found a Gecko  expands my works for children. Previous books include  African American Stories  (2003),  Grandma Loves You  (2003) ,  and  African American Children's Stories: A Treasury of Tradition and Pride  (2002), and this recent release signals many to come from a special partnership with a talented artist. I am honored to have the talents of illustrator  James Paul Cottage , a native of Springfield, New Jersey and graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology. This book greatly owes its strength and cleverness to his drawings and design. Elements such as his hand-drawn lettering lift the narrative into a true work of art. The books drawings, based on sketches of real people, make characters such as Grandma, Mr. Lee, the postwoman Mrs. Hall, and of course especially the main one, the little brown gecko, leap from the pages.  Grandma Found a Gecko  would be so much less, but for his inventive collaboration. The tale is my invention, but Cottage makes my imagination live so that it in a special way the book touches readers' hearts. Vincent F. A. Golphin is a retired professor of Creative Writing and Literary Studies who now lives, writes and occasionally teaches in Central Florida. His latest children's book,  Grandma Found a Gecko,  joins titles such as  African American Children's Stories: A Treasury of Tradition  and Pride(2002) ,  Grandma Loves You: My First Treasury  (2003),  African American Stories: My First Treasury  (2003), as demonstrations of his craft and love of storytelling. James P. Cottage is a graphic designer and illustrator, and one of the creative minds behind the  webcomic After . The Rochester Institute of Technology graduate and Springfield, New Jersey native did the drawings and calligraphy that distinguish the book.