The Strange Yellow Creature with a Long Dangly Tail is an inspired tale evolving over fifty years. It all began with a Smiley Face Balloon first touching this author's heart in the late 1960s. pAn entrepreneur at heart, Darlene was always quick to sign up for elementary school fundraisers. During one such campaign selling magazine subscriptions, she placed among the top sellers. Her prize was a Smiley Face Balloon and a giant Sugar DaddyR caramel on a stick. The Sugar DaddyR on a stick did not last long, but the Smiley Face Balloon has stuck with her ever since. pFast forward a half century and four grandchildren later, a never forgotten Galapagos Islands documentary, a college art and writing course, and childhood memories of a Smiley Face Balloon, all converged to manifest this story featuring a fun twist on the familiar theme of message in a bottle washes up on shore.pThe Galapagos, often referred to as the Enchanted Isles, is home to spectacular flora and fauna. Indigenous wildlife