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. This tale has some funny moments, as well as information. Klein’s playful watercolors are vibrant and depict a lively forested world. The book could be used in a unit on woodland animals, and the reproducible nature activities in the back make it attractive to teachers. --School Library Journal Children will enjoy trying to explain why different tails look and work the way they do. The book also touches on themes of individuality and self-acceptance. Author Janet Halfmann’s animal characters are personified enough to enliven the story, but this does not detract from the simple biological principles introduced. --Library Media Connection Author, Janet Halfmann's lively text, and Illustrator, Laurie Allen Klein's rich and realistic pictures bring this story to life. Imaginative and educational, children and adults will enjoy the "Creative Minds" section where they can learn about animal footprints and why animals have tails. --Midwest Book Review Teachers' Choice Award (Character Education category). The Teachers' Choice Awards honor products of exceptional quality and outstanding performance in the classroom and at home! Our panel of teacher evaluators use each product in their classrooms and homes to find the best products for teachers and parents. 2008 President's Book Awards: Best Picture Book and Best Overall Book. On Saturday, September 13, 2008, the Florida Publishers Association (FPA) presented its 2008 President's Book Awards to members whose books were chosen as the best in 16 different categories and one special category. . . .Winners in 16 were selected by the competition's 35 judges (32 librarians from across Florida and 3 members of a nationally recognized book design firm). Then-president Frank Gromling selected his favorite book for "President's Pick." Dear Reader, I hope you enjoy pretending with Little Skink as much as I enjoyed daydreaming with her while I wrote Little Skink's Tail . I met Little Skink when I was writing a nonfiction book about all kinds of lizards. There she was, twitching her bright blue tail, and I knew she had a story to tell. Before long, she was slinking in and out of our dress-up box, showing off tail after tail. She reminded me of my granddaughter -- one of the world's great pretenders! While I watched the show in my daydreams, I got the chance to play with words, imagining the fun things Little Skink would say about each tail. What a wonderful time we had, and I wish the same for you! Happy Reading, 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. 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. All Sylvan Dell titles feature free educational resources at www.SylvanDellPublishing.com, including the "For Creative Minds" sections and additional teaching activities. The "For Creative Minds" section features the following activities: Adaptations: Why do animals have tails? Tail Matching Activity for Skink rabbit squirrel deer skunk porcupine owl Mix-n-Match Tail Activity. Learning Magazine's 2009 Teachers' Choice Award, 2009 FPA President's Award for BEST Children's Book and Best Overall Book Janet Halfmann has been writing for children for more than twenty years, and this is her 28th book. Before becoming a full-time freelance children's writer, she was a manager, editor, and writer of coloring and activity books for Golden Books; the editor of a national children's magazine; and a reporter for a daily newspaper. A member of the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Janet has recently published Alligator at Saw Grass Road, Polar Bear Horizon, Canada Goose at Cattail Lane, Dolphin's Rescue, Red Bat at Sleepy Hollow Lane, and Pelican's Catch. Janet was inspired to write Little Skink's Tail