AAAlligator!

September 28, 2020
An unlikely camaraderie binds together this whimsical story by Henderson (the Big Words Small Stories series). On a forest hike, a pale-skinned boy discovers an “AAAAAlligator!” with its foot tangled in a vine. Assuming the gator is hungry, the enterprising child feeds him until he’s drowsy enough to be lulled to sleep with a song (“AAAAAlligator, go to sleep./ People are not good to eat”) and then cut loose. But when it appears in search of another song, the boy realizes that the gator is also lonely. Friendship ensues, as depicted with a joyous montage in Stegmaier’s (Ella May Does It Her Way) digitally colored rust red, marigold, and forest green illustrations, which show the duo bathing, reading, and dancing. Unfortunately, the town denizens are less open-minded, and the mayor issues an official proclamation: “NO ALLIGATORS,/ blah, blah, blah.” The boy counters: the gator can help the town by eating its leftover food waste. Seeing the sense in this eco-friendly solution, the townspeople accept the gator, who grows large from their leftovers. Still the mayor persists in his prejudice—that is, until the community stitches together a plan to disguise the gator, discovering that their own attitudes have been transformed in the process. A fable-like tale full of gentle twists that emphasize questioning assumptions and creative problem solving. Ages 3–7. Agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary.

August 15, 2020
When a boy befriends an alligator, it becomes a problem for the whole town. What starts as a pleasantly routine walk in the woods turns into a surprising friendship after "the boy," as he's consistently called, frees an alligator caught in thick vines. When the mayor declares a ban on alligators, the townspeople rally in secret to find a way to feed and take care of the alligator, going so far as to protect him by hiding him in plain sight. Henderson's sweet story about a boy saving his friend has a subtle political subtext, as the people find a way to do what's right even when led by an ineffective, unworthy elected official. There is much to harvest from Stegmaier's illustrations. The palette of muted earth tones helps connect the worlds of both the alligator and the boy. There are lovely elements of foreshadowing, like the guitar that the boy plays to lull the alligator to sleep appearing pages before its use, sticking out of his backpack. In addition, there are recurring details, like nods to the boy's love of birds, that readers will enjoy finding. The boy has pale skin and stick-straight black hair, and the mayor is White, looking rather like a beardless Abraham Lincoln. Townspeople are depicted as racially diverse; one uses a wheelchair. The trope of the unlikely friendship delivered with a traditional feel and a modern message. (Picture book. 4-7)

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October 15, 2020
Preschool-G Hiking in the woods, a boy finds a hungry alligator trapped by twisty vine. After feeding him, lulling him to sleep, and cutting the vine, the brave lad returns home. That night, he finds the lonely creature outside his house and offers his favorite stuffed animal to comfort him. The boy and the alligator become friends and visit the nearby town, frightening the residents and prompting the autocratic mayor to decree, No alligators. When the townsfolk learn that the gator is kind and helpful, they warm to him and help the boy disguise him as a whale. After the mayor mysteriously disappears while searching for the alligator, his successor reverses the proclamation. Henderson's lively, amusing tale pits an admirable lad and his fearsome but lovable friend against a mean-spirited authority figure and lets justice, ingenuity, and community action prevail. The illustrations, expressive pencil drawings with digitally added colors, reflect the story's charm. An unusual addition to the narrative, the boy's lullabies will brighten any reading of this quirky, somewhat edgy, but also endearing picture book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)