Title: Skink on the Brink
Author: Lisa Dalrymple
Illustrator: Suzzane Del Rizzo
Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside (2013)
Reviewer: Yolanda Ridge
ISBN: 9781554552313
Stewie is a skink with a beautiful blue tail and a love of songs and rhyme. Lisa Dalrymple’s delightful picture book, aimed at five to eight-year old readers, follows Stewie the blue through the trails of adolescence accompanied by Suzanne Del Rizzo’s vibrant plasticine illustrations.
When his tail turns grey, Stewie is forced to adapt and recognize his uniqueness. It is a journey that subtly parallels his changing environment, introducing the concept of animal habitat, life cycles and endangered species. Two pages of skink facts at the end allows readers to dig deeper into the concept of extinction.
A great addition to the science curriculum, Skink on the Brink won the SCBWI Crystal Kite award for Canada. It’s also my pick for Authors for Earth Day Eco-Book of the month featured on facebook.