Give Up, Gecko!: A Folktale from Uganda

by Margaret Read MacDonald (Author) Deborah Melmon (Illustrator)

Give Up, Gecko!: A Folktale from Uganda
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

African animals of every size from Elephant to Gecko stomp on the ground in search of water. "Elephant! Elephant! Heavy! Heavy! Heavy! Elephant! Elephant! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!" Elephant was shouting and stomping. But could he stomp a hole deep enough to reach water for the thirsty animals? Maybe...maybe not. All the animals tried until tiny Gecko takes a turn. He is small...but he is determined. And he's not going to give up!

Kids will love to chant and stomp along to this Ugandan folktale.

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Humorous digitally manipulated illustrations enhance this lively tale that invites audience participation.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3--Inspired by "Chameleon and Elephant," this version of the traditional story stars Gecko as hero of the day. It's been a long dry spell, and the animals are thirsty. There's no rain in sight, so they decide to dig for water and to proclaim the one who finds it chief. How shall they dig? With tusks or horns? Not everyone has those, so they decide that everyone will STOMP because everyone has feet. (Except for snake, of course). "Heavy, heavy, heavy. Stomp, stomp, stomp" goes Elephant. But, no water. Next, it's Hippo's turn. "Heavy, heavy, heavy. Stomp, stomp, stomp." But, no water. Rhino tries, then Buffalo, then Giraffe. Next come the medium-size animals: Monkey, Warthog, and Hyena. Then, the little animals try: Rabbit and Iguana. Lastly, Gecko wants a turn. "Heavy, heavy, heavy. Stomp, stomp, stomp" says light-footed Gecko. "They can laugh. I won't give up." And before long... SPLASH, SPLASH, SPLASH. Of course, Elephant tries to steal Gecko's claim to fame, but the others know the truth. They build Gecko a special place right near their new watering hole. Children will enjoy repeating the refrain and the cumulative aspects of this tale. Done in watercolor and colored pencil and enhanced with Photoshop, the cartoon illustrations of the expressive animals are pleasing and large enough to be used with a group. This is a good choice for introducing folktales or for use in storytimes with a variety of themes including animals, perseverance, or tales from other lands.--Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Margaret Read MacDonald

Margaret Read MacDonald travels the world sharing stories, and Childe is one of her most beloved places to visit. Margaret has written over thirty books. When not out exploring the world, Margaret settles into the deliciously rainy weather on Guemes Island (Washington State, USA) and writes more books.

Sophie Fatus is a full-time artist who is known for her exuberant illustrations. She was born in Paris into a family of artists and now lives in Florence with her partner and two cats.

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781477816356
Lexile Measure
260
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Two Lions
Publication date
January 29, 2013
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV012020 - Juvenile Fiction | Fairy Tales & Folklore | Country & Ethnic - General
JUV002000 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | General
JUV012040 - Juvenile Fiction | Fairy Tales & Folklore | Adaptations
JUV029020 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Weather
Library of Congress categories
Folklore
Tales
Water
Geckos
Uganda
Desert animals

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