Some of you may be wondering how the Curtis Curly-tail movie is coming along. I’m delighted to announce that Scene 2 has officially been released!
This 30-minute animated film is based on my adventure tale, Curtis Curly-tail and the Ship of Sneakers. If you watch closely, you’ll see how that fun sneaker title is woven directly into the storyline!
You can watch Scene 2 right here:
In this scene, we see our brave protagonist, Curtis, jumping on the famous whale skeleton on Warderick Wells. This island serves as the headquarters for the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. The only way to reach it is by boat—or a seaplane, though most people float right up! It features anchorages where sailors park their vessels.
If you’re familiar with Jimmy Buffett’s song Book on a Shelf, you’ve probably heard of Boo Boo Hill on Warderick Wells. “Boo Boo” refers to the haunting sounds the winds make as they blow across the rocks—not an “I hurt myself” boo-boo! Sailors traditional leave driftwood signs with their boat names on the hill to ensure good sailing conditions. In fact, I met the real-life Curtis Curly-tail right on the trail heading up to Boo Boo Hill!
A Flitty Friend and a Colorful Giant
In Scene 2, we also meet a key secondary character: Zouzone, a sweet bananaquit. She has difficulty flying due to a misshapen wing. Bananaquits (Coereba flaveola) are small members of the tanager family. They use their slender, curved bills to drink nectar from flowers, sometimes piercing the base of a blossom to sip nectar directly without pollinating the plant.
These clever little birds adapt wonderfully to humans. They love the granular sugar found on dining tables and frequently build nests on manmade structures. While on Warderick Wells, I was delighted by bananaquits sharing my outdoor meals. I happily surrendered my sugar for their enjoyment as they showed zero fear of my dining companions!
Our main characters have heard that the Andros iguanas can grant wishes, and Zouzone hopes to wish for better flying skills. The colorful Andros iguana (Cyclura cychlura cychlura) is one of my absolute favorite species. I had the privilege of assisting with field research to conserve this endangered rock iguana, which is found only on Andros Island. It is one of the largest iguanas, showing off a bright reddish-orange head that contrasts with its dark, striped body and black feet. Uniquely, females deposit their eggs inside termite mounds (Nasutitermes rippertii) to maintain the perfect incubation temperature!
Foreshadowing and Real-World Science
While discussing how to reach Andros Island, the characters drop a bit of foreshadowing about our story’s antagonist. Did you catch it? Did you hear them talking about the invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina)? You’ll be learning much more about these poisonous amphibians, who are holding the Bahamian environment under their control.
I originally met Bahamian scientist Scott Johnson during one of my frequent research trips to The Bahamas. The Bahamas is a vibrant country with incredible land animals that often get overlooked in favor of famous marine life. I’ve learned so much about the local wildlife from Scott, and he even inspired my books Bahamian Boas and Tabby and Cleo.
The animation for the film is being brought to life by the talented team at Luck Dragon, led by Brad Peterson (aka Anderson Atlas). They are creating such high-quality work, and I can’t wait to see the final feature!
Through his book adventures, Curtis continues to highlight pressing conservation issues—from invasive species to the plight of the Bahamian hutia (Geocapromys ingrahami), the only native land mammal in The Bahamas. I hope you enjoy watching Curtis’s journey transition from the printed page to the screen!
Bring Curtis Curly-tail into Your Classroom!
Looking for fun ways to teach elementary students about island ecosystems, native wildlife, and reptile adaptations? My science-aligned workbooks are packed with engaging puzzles, coloring pages, and field facts!