follow us

Search
Close this search box.

The Bahamas

A brown book cover with illustrations of bahamian boa snakes

Tabby, the Five-Finger Fairy,
Ambassador for
Wildlife Conservation
in The Bahamas,
Introduces Us to Her
Five Bahamian Boa Friends

Reading Level: Ages 8+

40 Pages

Wonderful Illustrations 
by Anderson Atlas
With A Facts and Photo Page
For Each Boa

Tabby, the Five-Finger Fairy, is a good friend to everyone she meets. After Cleo, a Bahamian Boa, rescues her in their first book, Tabby & Cleo: Unexpected Friends, Tabby decides to tell about the natural history of the five often misunderstood Bahamian Boas, which have an important place in the Bahamian circle of life.

a book cover about Tabby the five finger fairy and Cleo a bahamian boa

A Magical Chapter Book about
Tabby, the Five-Finger Fairy and Her
Adventures with Cleo, a Bahamian Boa

Reading Level: Ages 8+

52 Pages

Tabby Comes Alive in
Illustrations by Nick Thorpe

Tabby, the Five-Finger Fairy, who comes from the Five-Finger Tree, Tabebuia bahamensis, loves the native plants, animals and people of The Bahamas. She makes friends wherever she goes!

When Tabby is attacked and almost eaten by a rat, a Bahamian Boa comes to her rescue. But she has seen so much fear of  the boas, Tabby is afraid. The boa, Cleo, gently introduces herself and she and Tabby become friends.

After witnessing many attacks on Cleo, Tabby decides to help her find a new home. They go to Mama Hope’s Garden, and Mama Hope teaches her grandson, Scottie, and her neighbors about boas. They are not venomous and they are responsible for killing rats that would otherwise overrun the islands.

Along the way, Tabby helps animals they meet to realize their foolish animosity toward each other and she helps them to, instead, become friends–like she and Cleo did.

Mama Hope realizes the only safe place for Cleo is at Retreat Gardens. They take Cleo there and Mama Hope’s grandson can finally see the Tabby, the fairy.

“Science is important and needs to be studied,” Tabby tells Scottie, “but there are some things you need to believe in your heart to see.”

A Tale of Friendship Between
the Seeds of Native Bahamian Plants

Reading Level Age 8+

25 Pages with
10-page Seed Appendix

Delightful Illustrations 
in Pastel Colors
by Monique Carroll

Just like us, when seeds are born together and bonds are formed, they want to stay together. And just like our parents, the Master Gardener tells the seeds they must each go forth and find their own special place.

But, do we listen our parents when we’re newly on our own?

Join Cerise Red Mangrove, Noel Christmas Orchid, Onyx Black Mangrove, Aggie Silver Thatch Palm, Lettie Lignum Vitae, Polly Poisonwood,, Orchy Shell Orchid and Brianna Bromeliad as they do everything they can to stay together and make a forest!

Mother Nature, however, has something else in mind; and with her birds, wind and water, she helps each of the seeds find their perfect place to grow–and not too far from each other.

Just as it should be for good friends.

Curtis Curly-tail travels to
where tourists
come from.
How will he get
back home?

An Adventure Tale
For Readers Age 7+

Wonderful Colored Pencil Illustrations
by Arthur F. Winstanley

40 Pages

CLICK HERE FOR
A BROCHURE
ABOUT THE BOOK

The very curious Curtis catches a ride on a boat. At first, the big city is so different, Curtis is happy to be there.

But, he’s alone, in an unfamiliar place, where life moves very quickly. He wants to go home to his den, to his native sand.

How in the world will Curtis ever get back to Warderick Wells?

               * * * *

This book, before it became a favorite children’s storybook, had a story all it’s own. Then writer Elaine A. Powers, met a curly-tail lizard on a beach in The Bahamas; and after the lizard sat on her sneaker for over two hours, the story came to her, in one sitting.

If you’d like to read the whole story, Curtis tells about this meeting on the blog page, Tales and Tails, in Hello from Curtis!

a blue and white children's book cover with curly-tail lizards illustrated

Curtis Curly-tail becomes the
unfortunate victim of poachers,
along with other protected animals.
Who will
save them?

An Adventure Tale
For Readers Age 10+

Lovely Colored Pencil
Illustrations by
Jessica Minns

30 Pages

In the third book of the series, the very curious Curtis Curly-tail mistakes a poacher for a tourist wanting to snap a picture of his perfectly-curled tail. Instead, he is captured, along with critically endangered native plants, Conch and Iguanas. 

Together the animals plot their escape from the dangerous poachers. Who will help them? How will they get free of the cages on a boat and return home safely to Warderick Wells?

colorful children's book cover with a curly-tail lizard riding on a hutia's back

Curtis wonders what can
be done when an endangered
species threatens
a protected
environment.
A choose-your-
own-ending book.

A Chapter Book
For Readers Age 10+

Colorful, bright
Illustrations of the characters,
the island
and ocean life
by Anderson Atlas 

40 Pages

This is a special story for readers
who like to solve problems.
It takes Curtis Curly-tail on his second adventure, but is based on real ecological events taking place on Warderick Wells Cay in The Bahamas.

The hutia are endangered rodents native to the islands. Some are transplanted to Curtis’s cay, and Curtis meets his new friend, Horace. When the scientists come back to check on the hutia, they find that the native shrubs are almost gone, due to the hungry hutia. 

But Curtis and Horace do not understand what is happening when the hutia are captured and put into cages. Curtis decides to do everything he can to help Horace and his family. 

It is you, the reader, however, who must decide how the story will end. How do you solve a problem when an endangered species threatens a protected environment? There are three endings to the book. Which one will you choose?
Or, will you come up with another solution?

Lesson plans for teachers are also
available at iginspired@gmail.com.

Curtis Curly-tail
wants to help
his friends survive
a hurricane.
But Curtis is
blown away!
What happens to
the iguanas on
Beach Cay?
Will Curtis be
blown back home
to Warderick Wells?

An Adventure Tale
For Readers Age 8+

Gorgeous
Illustrations by
Monique Carroll

30 Pages

In the fourth book of the series, the very good friend, Curtis Curly-tail, joins Allison Andros Iguana to warn fellow iguanas on low-lying Beach Cay about a coming hurricane. They are vulnerable to the storm surge, high rainfall and the powerful winds. Their entire population could be wiped out by the storm!
In this story, as in real life, people come together to help each other, the animals
and the environment. Curtis Curly-tail is blown away by the storm. Grab a copy today and find out what happens to his iguana friends—and if Curtis makes it back home to his perfect den on Warderick Wells Cay.
This is a fun adventure for kids that teaches them
about weather science and ecosystems.

Curtis Curly-tail is Blown Away makes learning science fun and is for sale at Amazon.com.