The Lovesick Skunk

By Joe Hayes, Antonio Castro L.
Paperback: $7.95

Is it true that skunks fall in love? Joe Hayes, that tall-tale-telling raconteur, is glad you asked.

Description

Joe Hayes must have had a singular growing up in the Arizona desert because he sure loves to write stories about it. And he tells those stories of his so much to audiences all over the United States that it seems like the stories just get more and more fantastic. I bet you’ve already heard the first tall tale he wrote–The Gum-Chewing Rattler–about a rattlesnake who chewed bubblegum. Yes, it’s true. That scary snake even blew huuuuuge bubbles.

Now Joe has written a new story about his early years in Arizona. Joe, the kid, was a creature of habit. If he decided he liked to do something, he would do it over and over again. Like wear the same T-shirt until it nearly fell apart or use the same pencil until he’d sharpened it down to a nub. He also had a pair of black-and-white high-top sneakers that he loved to wear. He wore them every day. “Get rid of those shoes,” his mother told him one morning. “They smell terrible!”

Did Joe listen? Not until he met the back end of a skunk.

And this wasn’t just an ordinary skunk, but one who was lovesick.

But I’m not going to tell you who she was in love with. You’ll have to find that out for yourself.

About the Creators

Joe Hayes

Joe Hayes is one of America's premier storytellers. He grew up in a small town in southern Arizona where he started learning Spanish from his classmates. As Hayes got older, he began reading the work of folklorists and anthropologists and gathering the old stories from the Southwest region. His books have received the Arizona Young Readers Award, two Land of Enchantment Children's Book Awards, the Texas Bluebonnet award, and the National Storytelling Network Talking Leaves Award. He lives in New Mexico.

Antonio Castro L.

Antonio Castro L. was born in Zacatecas, Mexico and has lived in the Juarez-El Paso area for most of his life. He was awarded a prestigious Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor for his illustrations in My Tata's Remedies / Los remedios de mi tata. He has also illustrated several other picture books for Cinco Puntos Press, including The Gum Chewing Rattler and My Pet Rattlesnake.

Reviews

  • "Move over Pepé Le Pew: A pair of black-and-white high-top sneakers become the love interest of a skunk-- much to the chagrin of the boy who's wearing them."

    - Los Angeles Times
  • "Joe Hayes's books are always delightful, perhaps because, as I read them, I can almost hear the warm, inviting voice of this professional raconteur. . . This story celebrates the best of childhood: playful adventures, best friends, and unlikely tales that parents just never understand."

    - New Mexico Magazine

Paperback

  • ISBN 9781941026045
  • Publication Date Nov 09, 2010
  • Trim Size 11 × 8.5 in
  • Weight 0.3125 lbs
  • Page Count 32
  • Hardcover

  • ISBN 9781933693811
  • Publication Date Nov 09, 2010
  • Trim Size 11 × 8.5 in
  • Weight 0.9375 lbs
  • Page Count 32
  • Interests

  • Audience Children
  • BISAC Category 1 JUV / Animals / Nocturnal
  • BISAC Category 2 JUV / Imagination & Play
  • BISAC Category 3 JUV / Westerns
  • Themes Animals, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Environment / Nature, Families, Fiction, Friendship, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 5 - 7
  • Grade Range Grades K - 7
  • Guided Reading P
  • DRA 38
  • Interest Level Grades K - 3
  • Lexile Code AD
  • Lexile Level 800
  • Reading Level Grades 3 - 4
  • Bebop Reading Fluent
  • This Book is Included in These Collections:

    • 201
      Fluent English
      Collection of 201 books: $2,434.85

      Baseball Saved Us: 25th Anniversary Edition

      Twenty-five years ago, Baseball Saved Us changed the picture-book landscape with its honest story of a Japanese American boy in an internment camp during World War II. This anniversary edition will introduce new readers to this modern-day classic.

      Caravan

      Through the story of ten-year-old Jura's first caravan trip with his father, Lawrence McKay, Jr. describes the adventures one boy experiences on the journey to young adulthood.

      Catching the Moon

      The spirited story of Marcenia Lyle, the African American girl who grew up to become "Toni Stone," the first woman to play for an all-male professional baseball team.

      Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures

      A photographic exploration comparing celebrations in seven indigenous world cultures and the United States, highlighting common rituals such as body decoration, music, and dance.

      Coming to America

      A photo-essay of a Muslim family from Egypt; their experiences living in America; and the sacrifices they make to have a better life.

      Confetti

      The renowned poet Pat Mora celebrates the culture and landscape of the Southwest through the eyes of a Mexican American girl.

      Cool Melons- Turn to Frogs!

      For hundreds of years, school children in Japan have been introduced to poetry through the work of Issa.

      Crazy Horse's Vision

      The true story of the great Sioux warrior who, as a young boy, defies tradition and seeks a vision on his own in hopes of saving his people.

      Dear Mrs. Parks

      On a December day in 1955, Rosa Parks changed the course of history when she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus.

      Destiny's Gift

      Destiny loves words, and her favorite place in the world is Mrs. Wade's bookstore, where words abound.

      Dia's Story Cloth

      A Hmong American tells of her people's search for freedom.

      Estela's Swap

      A Mexican American girl learns to value the act of giving when she attends her first swap meet.

      Everglades Forever

      A photo-essay about the Florida Everglades, its unique ecosystem, and the efforts currently underway to restore this "Wetland of International Importance," told within the framework of a class study project and visit to the Everglades.

      Frederick Douglass

      The story of the African American abolitionist who, in one dramatic incident, discovered the meaning of freedom.

      First Come the Zebra

      The story of two young Kenyan boys, one Maasai and one Kikuyu, who find a way to overcome their traditional rivalries and become friends.

      George Crum and the Saratoga Chip

      An account of the life and career of George Crum, a biracial chef who is credited with the invention of the potato chip at a Saratoga Springs, New York, restaurant in 1853. Based on historical records.

      Gettin' Through Thursday

      A young African American boy experiences the love and support of his family as they try to make ends meet each week.

      Goldfish and Chrysanthemums

      A Chinese American girl helps preserve her grandmother's childhood memories of China by creating a special garden for her in America.

      Heroes

      A Japanese American boy learns about heroism from his father and uncle who served in the U.S. Army.

      Home At Last

      A sympathetic tale of a mother-daughter bond and overcoming adversity, brought to life by the vivid illustrations of Felipe Davalos.

      How We Are Smart

      Musician Tito Puente. Ballerina Maria Tallchief. Explorer Matthew Henson. Congresswoman Patsy Mink. These are some of the people profiled in this book. They are well known for different reasons, but they also have something in common. They were all smart!

      Howard Thurman's Great Hope

      Born in segregated Daytona, Florida, in 1899, Howard Thurman grew up dreaming of a better life--a life where his mother and grandmother would not have to cook and clean for other people; a life where he could become a college man, honoring his late father's wishes and his own dreams.

      I and I Bob Marley

      A biography in verse of reggae legend Bob Marley, exploring the influences that shaped his life and music on his journey from rural Jamaican childhood to international superstardom.

      In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall

      In this intergenerational collection of poetry by new and established African American writers, fatherhood is celebrated with honor, humor, and grace.

      Joe Louis, My Champion

      During the mid-1930s, an African American boy who yearns to be a boxer learns the value of determination, perseverance, and his own natural abilities from the example of his hero, world champion prizefighter Joe Louis.

      John Lewis in the Lead

      A biography of John Lewis, one of the "Big Six" civil rights leaders of the 1960s, focusing on his involvement in Freedom Rides, the March on Washington, and the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

      Jim Thorpe's Bright Path

      A biography of the legendary Native American Jim Thorpe (1888--1953), voted the Greatest Football Player and Greatest Athlete of the Half-Century by two AP polls, focusing on his early childhood and how school and sports shaped his future.

      Joshua's Masai Mask

      A magical Masai mask takes an African American boy on a series of adventures, and he discovers the joy of being himself.

      Juneteenth Jamboree

      A young girl, who has just moved to her parents' hometown, realizes that she has come home after the African American emancipation celebration of Juneteenth.

      Keepers

      Kenyon loves his grandmother's stories almost as much as he loves baseball.

      Knockin' On Wood

      An inspirational biography of Clayton "Peg Leg" Bates (1907--1998), an African American man who overcame the hardship of losing a leg at age 12 and went on to become a world-renowned tap dancer.

      Louis Sockalexis

      A biography of Louis Sockalexis, Penobscot Indian and the first Native American to play professional baseball, focusing on his formative years and culminating in an historic game at New York's Polo Grounds in 1897.

      Love to Langston

      This inspiring biography on Langston Hughes celebrates his life through poetry.

      Love to Mamá

      Thirteen Latino poets celebrate their bonds with their mothers and grandmothers.

      Mama's Window

      After his mother dies, "Sugar" Martin is sent to live with his gruff uncle Free, a loner who makes his living fishing in a swamp in the Mississippi Delta in the early 1900s.

      Night Golf

      Set in the South of the late 1950s, an African American boy who longs to play golf is banned from the game because of the color of his skin.

      Only the Mountains Do Not Move

      A photographic essay about contemporary Maasai--the changes in lifestyle, land, and farming practices they face and how they are adapting to those changes.

      Passage to Freedom

      The true story of Chiune Sugihara, the "Japanese Schindler," who, with his family's encouragement, saved thousands of Jews in Lithuania during World War II.

      Paul Robeson

      An updated and redesigned edition of an award-winning biography of Paul Robeson, who overcame racial discrimination to become an international entertainer and civil rights activist. Includes a new introduction and afterword by the author, focusing on Robeson's legacy.

      Quiet Hero

      A biography of Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian who was one of the six soldiers to raise the United States flag on Iwo Jima during World War II, an event immortalized by Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph.

      Rattlesnake Mesa

      A true account of a spirited Native American girl's experiences growing up on a reservation and attending Phoenix Indian School in the 1920s, written in an engaging, unconventional style and accompanied by 38 dramatic photographs.

      Ray Charles

      A beautiful new edition of the award-winning biography of world-famous musician Ray Charles.

      Rent Party Jazz

      An African American boy living in New Orleans in the 1930s raises money to pay the rent with the help of a popular jazz musician.

      Richard Wright and the Library Card

      This is the true story of the renowned African American author Richard Wright and his determination to borrow books from the public library that turned him away because of his color.

      Sam and the Lucky Money

      During Chinese New Year, a young boy encounters a homeless person and discovers that no gift is too small when it comes from the heart.

      Seven Miles to Freedom

      The true story of Robert Smalls, a slave steamboat wheelman who commandeered a Confederate ship during the Civil War and escaped with his family and crew to freedom.

      Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds

      The inspirational true story of Sammy Lee, a Korean American who overcame discrimination to realize both his father's desire that he become a doctor and his own dream of becoming an Olympic champion diver.

      Sky Dancers

      John Cloud's father is a steelworker building skyscrapers in New York City, far away from their home upstate on the Mohawk Reservation.

      Surfer of the Century

      The true story of Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku, six-time Olympic swimming champion and legendary surfer who popularized surfing around the world.

      Sweet Music in Harlem

      Searching his Harlem neighborhood for his uncle's missing hat, an energetic African American boy unintentionally creates an exuberant gathering of the neighborhood's jazz musicians for a magazine photograph; a fictional story inspired by Art Kane's historic photograph of jazz greats, Harlem 1958.

      The Birthday Swap

      A Mexican American girl looks for the perfect birthday gift for her sister and ends up with a big surprise of her own.

      The Blue Roses

      A modern-day Native American girl learns to understand the cycle of life after her grandfather dies.

      The Bus Ride

      With its inspiring introduction by Rosa Parks, The Bus Ride is a timely reminder for readers of all ages that no act is too small when it comes to confronting injustice.

      The Happiest Tree

      Meena is excited about the class play, a new and improved version of Red Riding Hood.

      The Have a Good Day Café

      Early each morning Mike and his family drive to the city with their food cart.

      The Jones Family Express

      For as long as Steven can remember, Aunt Carolyn has traveled around the world, and she always sends him postcards from the places she visits.

      The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby

      The story of Jimmy Winkfield, one of horse racing's all-time great jockeys and the last African American to win the Kentucky Derby, in 1902.

      The Legend of Freedom Hill

      A fictional story set during the California Gold Rush, in which a girl teams up with her best friend in search of gold to buy her mother's freedom from a slave catcher.

      The Piano

      Set in the deep South of the early 1900s, an African American girl learns to play the piano from her white employer and their mutual love of music rewards them with a friendship that transcends age and race.

      The Pot That Juan Built

      With vibrant illustrations by Caldecott Medal winner David Diaz,The Pot that Juan Builtis sure to enlighten all who are fascinated by traditional art forms, Mexican culture, and the power of the human spirit to find inspiration from the past.

      Strong to the Hoop

      A boy finally gets to play basketball on the main court with the older boys, and has to prove he can hold his own.

      Vanishing Cultures: Down Under

      In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

      Vanishing Cultures: Amazon Basin

      In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

      Vanishing Cultures: Frozen Land

      In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

      Vanishing Cultures: Himalaya

      In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

      Vanishing Cultures: Mongolia

      This photo essay explores the life of Dawa and Olana, two young cousins who come from a family of nomads on the grassy plains of Mongolia.

      Vanishing Cultures: Sahara

      In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

      When the Horses Ride By

      Through these graceful and eloquent poems, written from the child's perspective, readers will experience this resilience, this optimism, and understand that it is possible to get through difficult and unsettling times while holding onto one's hopes and dreams for a better, more peaceful future. 

      Vanishing Cultures: Far North

      In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

      Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué Rico! Americas' Sproutings

      A collection of haiku focusing on fourteen foods native to the Americas, celebrating the fun of the foods as well as their origins.

      ¡Béisbol! Latino Baseball Pioneers and Legends

      In this fascinating and colorfully written collection of profiles, author/illustrator Jonah Winter gives us a guide to Latino heroes, including little known pioneers of the sport.

      Abuela's Weave

      This touching story of personal growth and family pride is illustrated with authentic Guatemalan scenery that gives life to the country's radiant landscape and bustling city streets.

      Angkat

      Part of the Cinderella Around the World series, this picture book offers a Cambodian take on Cinderella.