Tails can whip and drop, grip and prop. Some tails swat, some tails sting, some tails smell, and even….SING! Animal tails do amazing things!
Once you read this book you will never look at a tail in the same way – and that’s a good thing as they are quite amazing!
Set out in an engaging manner, I’ve got a tail written by Julie Murphy teaches readers all about the role tails play in different animals’ lives. On each double page spread we meet a new animal – and it’s tail!
The animals tell the reader something amazing they can do and then on the opposite page, the author tells the readers a fact or two.
The illustrations add some more detail by allowing students to see the tail in freeze-action situations in their habitat and amongst other animals of their kind.
Students that I have shared this book with have loved reading about the way these different tails play a role in the animals lives. They were particularly intrigued by the spider tail horned viper.
The end pages of this book are fantastic and a great way to start engaging with the story. The final pages also show where each animal is from and asks readers to consider more about other animals tails!
I’ve got a tail by Julie Murphy and illustrated by Hannah Tolson is a fantastic book to engage young readers into the world of animals as it takes them beyond just what they look like and what they do to how they survive, interact and live amazing lives.
What else can you do with this book?
- Watch some videos of these tails in action (Any David Attenborough series have some great videos)
- Consider the animals in our immediate lives and discuss the roles their tails play. Students could take part in a scientific investigation as they observe tails at home, in the playground or bushland.
- Look at the world map and find out the names of the countries these animals are from. Research further into their habitat.
- Look at Julie Murphy’s other book – I’ve got eyes, that follows a similar format. https://juliemurphybooks.com/
