by Lisa Dalrymple
illustrated by Suzanne Del Rizzo
Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2013
ISBN 978-1-55455-231-3
$18.95 hc, 32 pp, ages 5+
fitzhenry.ca
Skink on the Brink is the story of Stewie, a young skink with a very blue tail and a flair for making up rhyming songs: I’m Stewie. I’m blue-y. It really is true-y. I like to eat crickets and centipedes chewy. As Stewie grows he loses his blue colouring and turns into an adult with a red head and a grey body. After a period of unhappiness with the changes he is going through Stewie accepts this transition and regains his cheerful attitude: I’m Stewie the Skink! A skink on the brink, Which gives me a special distinction, I think. Whether red, grey or blue-y, I’ll always be Stewie!
Classroom Connections: Stewie is a Common Five-Lined Skink who lives in southern Ontario and on the east coast of the USA. In Ontario this skink is classified as endangered. Skink on the Brink is not only an engaging story that would make a great read aloud for primary aged children, it is also packed full of facts about this little known reptile. Included at the back of the book are two pages of skink information, facts about species at risk, and crafts and games that would be suitable for classroom use.
Review by Brenda Boreham.
This review is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Sept/Oct 2014 issue.