Gecko by Raymond Huber

Ill. by Brian Lovelock. Nature storybooks. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925126556
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Geckos. Australian animals. Environment. In this magnificent series of books called Nature Storybooks from Walker, in which every word on the page is true, comes another outing in the form of a gecko.
Each page has text written in two fonts. One is the story of the gecko, and the other is an information text, usually at the bottom of the page. Children can read a story of a gecko, and be fascinated by its everyday existence, finding food and avoiding capture by a predator, then read more information given in the factual text beneath. And augmented with lustrous illustrations, reading this book is a treat.
Through the story Huber tells us how the gecko survives during the day, licking its skin and eyes with its long tongue, lying in the sun to keep warm, using its camouflage to avoid the hawk, finding a cockroach to eat and defending its territory from an intruder. Each time something happens in the story, information is given in the different font to explain the theme: so we hear what camouflage means or how the gecko uses its tongue, or why the tail dropping is important.
All is informative, visually interesting and inventive as the story weaves its way through the gecko's day. At the end of the book is a page with more information, then it is rounded off with an index, helping younger readers with new skills at research and recovering information. This is a wonderful addition to a fascinating series, well produced, thoughtfully written and informative. I am sure younger readers will love it, so entranced with the cover image that they will not hesitate in picking it up from the shelf.
Fran Knight