The Boy and the Gecko

Seven-year-old Sam keeps a magnifying glass on a string around his neck and is always watching the world. On a sunny morning he spots a pale green gecko with tiny orange spots climbing the smooth white porch wall, and he wants to know how the little animal moves so easily where he would slide down. Moving closer, he studies the wide toe pads through his glass and finds the answer: thousands of tiny hairs that let the creature grip almost any surface.

Sam does not stop at wonder. He tries climbing the wall himself, presses cloth squares and a sticky note against the glass, and writes down what sticks and what slides. His simple tests lead to a conclusion a child can grasp and repeat about fluffy and smooth surfaces, and to thoughts of a climbing robot with fuzzy green toes. Written by Çınar BİBER, the tale follows one boy and one gecko through a day of watching, testing and drawing, and can be read on Masalcı Baba.