Like a Lizard

by April Pulley Sayre, Stephanie Laberis (Illustrator)

The attributes of 28 different lizards are revealed in this STEM nonfiction picture book, while the story provides a subtle message encouraging children to be true to their own nature.

The actions of 28 lizard species--the flying dragon that swoops through the air, the shingleback that sticks out its blue tongue to scare predators, the basilisk that can race across the surface of water--invite readers to act like a lizard themselves. The text by noted author April Pulley Sayre asks: "Can you run like a lizard? Sun like a lizard? Bob your head like a lizard?" Featuring brilliantly colorful, textured artwork by illustrator Stephanie Laberis, the book also includes extensive back matter with further information about the featured lizard species--their size, geographical range, why they perform the various actions introduced in the text--as well as details about lizards in general.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Childrens, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 12, 2019

About the author

April Pulley Sayre was an award-winning children’s book author of over 55 natural history books for children and adults. Her read-aloud nonfiction books, known for their lyricism and scientific precision, have been translated into French, Dutch, Japanese, and Korean. She is best known for pioneering literary ways to immerse young readers in natural events via creative storytelling and unusual perspectives.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself stumbling over the text proper a bit but my lizard-loving son picked this out from the library and really liked it. It does get bonus points for the back matter and the sheer variety of lizards portrayed.

[Carolyn Combs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overview: Each spread of Like A Lizard entices us to enter a lizard’s world and do the things lizards do. From running and climbing to walking on water and scaring predators with a brilliantly-colored tongue, we discover the distinctive characteristics of 28 lizard species from around the world. The text and illustrations race along with strong verbs, ear-tickling rhyme, and tons of motion. After sharing some particularly wild behaviors, the text brings the us safely back to ourselves and ends with the positive message, “Be you!” Back matter adds information about lizards, where the featured species live, further interesting facts, and resources. Ages 4-8.

What I love about this book: This book is a great example of how fun and engaging children’s nonfiction has become. Though it’s a survey book, It’s fast-paced, engages the reader’s imagination, and brims with playful rhyme and repetition. Listeners may not be able to sit still/ The illustrations are realistic yet playful and so full of motion children may want to move along with the lizards. I found myself constantly flipping back and forth to the back matter in order to learn more about each fabulous creature. Share this aloud for story time, one-on-one with a lizard lover, or suggest it as a springboard for a research project on a favorite reptile.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful way to learn about different lizards and all the different things they do. The illustrations are vivid and expressive and the text contains strong action words to describe the different things lizards do, with a key in the back to learn more about the lizards pictured in the book and their actions described in the book. The only downside is that, overall, the narrative arc doesn’t really work. There’s just so much on each to see and process on each page with so little text that by the time you get to the end of the story, you’ve forgotten what was supposed to be happening in the first place. Still a great choice to share and explore information about lizards.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Introduces 28 different kinds of lizards by asking readers if they can move or act in the unique ways these lizards do. Further information on lizards in general and each of the lizards featured specifically can be found in the back of the book.

Sayre did a great job of introducing these lizards with actions that really make them come to life. The text is rhythmic and rhyming and further draws readers in. The illustrations of course bring those actions and the lizards to brilliant, colorful life in dramatic ways. Highly recommended to kids learning about verbs, kids studying lizards, curious readers, and animal lovers.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty cool look at lots of different lizards and what they do! Nifty notes in the back explain a bit more about each of the critters.
Minus points, though, because April Pulley Sayre is ONLY allowed to do picture books if she uses her gorgeous photography skills. No cheating by using an illustrator!

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nonfiction book, but great for the preschool age group. The book asks if you can do various things "like a lizard" (run like a lizard, blink like a lizard, cool your feet like a lizard). The pictures are bright and colorful. I could definitely make this work for a storytime (although they might be exhausted from so many actions, teehee!)

[Bookjeannnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lizard fans are going to love this book. It starts with, “can you run like a lizard?”. Then the rest of the book asks the questions about all the characteristics of lizards. All the animals in the books are labeled on each page. After asking all the questions it ends with, “Just don’t defend like a lizard....be YOU!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is kind of fun, but definitely better for pouring over on your own or one-on-one than for a group read aloud. The illustrations are awesome and the end notes are super informative, but there's no story line and kids can only copy so many of the actions they rhyming text mentions before they get too bored (or the actions become impossible or inadvisable like spitting like a lizard).

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sayre’s books. In LIKE A LIZARD, she uses the question, “can you Like a lizard?” (Each page filling the blank with an action word). Stephanie Laberis has illustrated each page with a different kind or two of lizard. Includes back matter that gives a description of the lizards in the book. Perfect for a read aloud when learning about lizards or a lizard themed story time.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very cool book that asks the reader if they can do various things like a lizard. Each page has a different lizard, their name, and an interesting fact. There are some pages that might be scary or gross so this would be better for a 2nd grade and up read aloud.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun action-packed book filled with different lizards and their strange behaviors. Told in short rhymes, but more details about type of lizard and their habitats are found in the back. Really fun illustrations.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love April Pulley Sayre's rhyming, rthymic non-fiction sience picture books about animals. They're so beautifully written, and back-matter provides extra information about all the kinds of animals that are wonderfully illustrated in the previous pages.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think lizards are interesting! I wouldn't say they are something I am dying to know more about, but I loved this book!!! I admit having met April Pulley Sayre I am a little bias, but I love everything she does!!! This book was fun and interesting and informative!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

We finished our insect obsession with a book about lizards which honestly seemed fitting. This was a beautifully illustrated book with lots of rhyming and fun facts about lizards mixed in. It felt appropriate for a 4 year old and was enjoyable to read to a 4 year old as well! Overall, 4/5 stars ⭐️

[Jacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possibly the only picture book to show a lizard firing blood out of its eyeballs. 9/10 recommend.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging and informative look at twenty kinds of lizards and their unique attributes.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool. And I don't like reptiles.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting how the information is organized around questions, the illustrations are stunning and really capture the lizards, more information in the back extends knowledge about each lizard.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever way to learn about all different kinds of lizards.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just read this short rhyming book about lizards and learned about a million things I never knew.

[Joleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and fun.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great toddler and up book about lizards and how each kind has differnt powers. Would be able mimick actions with kids for amny of them. Nice afterward that would bump it up to elementary

[Y.Poston]

Beautiful book

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - April Pulley Sayre knows how to do poetry and this book captures more lizards than I knew existed with a rhyme and some great facts

[Sandra Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have an animal lover, this book has pleasing pictures sufficient backmatter on various lizards.

[Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and self explanitory.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Pulley Sayre introduces young readers to twenty-eight different lizards (including the Texas horned lizard, the shovel-snouted lizard, and the green basilisk lizard) asking questions with key words in bold-face type. “Can you run like a lizard?” “Dip your dewlap like a lizard?” “Chew bugs like a lizard?” Stephanie Laberis’ digital illustrations created with bright earth tones place lizards in their natural habitats (like the land iguana mouth mashing a cactus in the desert). Back matter includes entries for each of the featured lizards with the scientific name, geographical range, length, and description of behaviors as well as a short resource list.

[Colorado Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

used it in a zoom online storytime about pets - also, had actions kids could do and words to teach them.

[Katelyn Thomas]

Easy to read non-fiction for lizard lovers. Illustrations are lovely and the simple wording packs in a ton of info on what lizards do.