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The Children’s Book Review
Aye-Aye Gets Lucky
Written by Terri Tatchell
Illustrated by Ivan Sulima
Age Range: 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Fielding House Press Ltd. (November 18, 2019) ISBN: 978-1999102227
What to Expect: Lemur, Rhyme, Empathy, Self-Acceptance
Author Terri Tatchell is an Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe-nominated screenwriter. Aye-Aye Gets Lucky is the first installment in her Endangered and Misunderstood picture book series, which aims to bring attention to animal conservation and the protection of lesser-known species.
The aye-aye, a long-fingered lemur that is native to Madagascar, uses its creepy little hand to scare unsuspecting people. He especially likes it when the scare ends with them throwing food at him—a satisfying meal. One day he goes too far and the people cast him out. A law is passed to keep him out, and the aye-aye is no longer accepted. A flying fox takes it upon herself to show the aye-aye just what it feels like to be pranked, allowing the aye-aye to experience some empathy. The aye-aye also discovers that the flying fox has a creepy looking hand, too. This helps him realize that he could use his own hands to be helpful instead of using them to scare people.
Dispelling the legend that seeing an aye-aye is terrible luck, Terri Tatchell captures her audience with this endearing little tale that bounces along with rhythm and joy. To bring home the message of conservation and to further create a love of animals, she cleverly inserts loads of fun and fascinating stuff into the back matter. There are ten aye-aye facts, a lesson on how to draw an aye-aye, five ways to help the aye-aye, five flying fox facts, and a lesson on how to draw a flying fox.
Ivan Sulima perfectly captures the large-eyed prankster aye-aye with his inviting illustrations that offer depth, perspective, and extra humor—especially when the aye-aye poops itself from fright.
Aye-Aye Gets Lucky is a fun choice for animal lovers and budding conservationists. Be prepared to head to the zoo after reading this to see if you can spot an aye-aye for yourselves, or, at the very least, a lemur relative.
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About the Author
Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe-nominated for her screenwriting work on the feature film ‘District 9’, Terri Tatchell loves blending fantastical stories with social commentary. The ‘Endangered and Misunderstood’ series of children’s picture books does just, taking an accessible approach to the serious subject of endangered animals, with an emphasis on laughter, adventure, and everyday relatable themes.
For more information, visit: www.
About the Illustrator
Ivan Sulima was born on November 26th, 1986 in Kyiv. His father Kostyantyn Sulyma and his grandfather Petro Kozin are known Ukrainian artists. He graduated from the book graphics department of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. He works as a children’s book illustrator since 2010.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This non-biased review of “Aye-Aye Gets Lucky” was sponsored* by Terri Tatchell. Learn more about getting a book review …
