The Lizard’s Tail

Originally published in India, this folktale-inspired story follows a green lizard’s attempt to find a new tail after his old one is unceremoniously removed from its body: “Tanya pushed her drawer shut. ‘Chop-slice,’ went the lizard’s tail.” The lizard is understandably upset, but his mother is less concerned. “Perhaps, it’s time for a new look,” she says with a smile. Traveling high and low, the lizard asks a squirrel, cow, cat, and other animals if they have tails to spare, but none are willing to part with them; eventually, the lizard realizes that biology is on his side—specifically, the process of regeneration. Painting in deep jewel colors, German illustrator Kastl creates a vibrant village setting, with strong strokes of a palette knife giving the scenes a rich impasto texture; her stylized illustrations also play with the animals’ proportions, always putting their distinctive tails front and center. Viswanath’s prose moves forward at a steady clip, focusing more on telling an entertaining story than on subtle underlying themes of patience and being content with what one has. Ages 3–up. [em](June) [/em]