The Iguana Brothers: A Tale of Two Lizards - Hardcover

Johnston, Tony

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0590474685 ISBN 13: 9780590474689

Publisher: Cartwheel Books, 1995

Synopsis

Tom and Dom, a young pair of iguanas, come to believe that they are dinosaurs, and while Dom is just happy with being himself, Tom is uncertain about whether iguana life is right for him.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 3?These three brief tales about iguana brothers Tom and Dom describe how they give up their regular diet of bugs to become flower eaters; explore their physical similarity to dinosaurs; and affirm their friendship. The text includes a variety of Spanish words and expressions that are understandable in context as they are usually accompanied by an English translation (e.g., "?De veras? Really?"). Told in short, declarative sentences, the gently humorous vignettes would be fun for competent beginning-bilingual readers to tackle on their own, or for sharing aloud. Adults will find this an easy-to-use resource for mixed groups of English and Spanish speakers. The format is long and narrow, an eminently suitable shape for illustrations of these long-tailed reptiles. Teague's densely colored acrylic paintings make the most of the story's lush Mexican setting, and include other attention-getting animals such as a snake, toucan, armadillo, and tarantula. Tom and Dom feel like twinkling with happiness at the conclusion of the book; children will leave the story with a similar feeling.?Ellen Fader, Oregon State Library, Salem
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Not since Frog and Toad has there been so fetching a pair of friends as Tom and Dom, iguana brothers living south of the border. Really three tales in one, Johnston's (Amber on the Mountain) hilariously deadpan narrative offers snappy dialogue and the same staccato cadence as Arnold Lobel's classics. In the first episode, Tom (the brains of the outfit) turns vegetarian, eschewing bugs for flowers. Next, Tom convinces Dom that they are really fearsome dinosaurs, but when ruling the earth doesn't work out, they settle for ruling a leaf instead. And finally, when Dom admires his favorite constellation-"The Big Iguana," of course-Tom determines to find him a friend just as "twinkly and beautiful." Spanish words and phrases neatly enrich the Mexican setting, and Teague's (Pigsty) loopy sense of humor finds a worthy artistic outlet in the fond interplay between the scaly siblings. His softly shaded illustrations are appropriately rich with hues of green, brown and terra cotta, and his sassy lizards are bursting with personality. Ole! Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cartwheel Books
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0590474685
• ISBN 13: 9780590474689
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Teague Mark