Bill and Pete to the Rescue

March 30, 1998
Little Jane Allison, William Everett (Bill) Crocodile's cousin, has disappeared from the banks of the Nile in dePaola's third, likable, loony adventure starring crackerjack sleuth Bill and his best pal (and trusty toothbrush), Pete the plover. An eyewitness reports that the diminutive crocodile has been loaded onto a ship in a cage. "It's times like these that I wish your father was here, and not a suitcase," laments Bill's Mama, gazing at a painting of a green valise, labeled "Dad." The winningly melodramatic text and perky, neon-hued art repeatedly serve up similarly droll tidbits, likely to entertain parents as well as youngsters. Bill and Pete, both wearing backpacks, stow away on the ship, which berths in New Orleans. There a throng of friendly 'gators gives Bill a rousing bayou welcome and helps him rescue Little Jane. She happens to be sharing a cage with Bill's father, who--oh joy!--is not a suitcase after all. Readers will delight in this dynamic duo and will happily accompany them to any continent. Ages 4-8.

May 1, 1998
PreS-Gr 3-When readers last saw young crocodile Bill and his best friend/toothbrush Pete the bird in Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile (Putnam, 1987), they had tricked the Bad Guy, who is now in jail. But the Nile isn't safe yet. The Bad Guy's Big Bad Brother, also a crocodile thief, is in town and has captured cousin croc Jane Allison. Bill and Pete go to her rescue, but through a series of misadventures Pete is made a house pet and Bill ends up swimming in a Louisiana bayou with the local gators. A reunited Bill and Pete team up with the gators to defeat evil, rescuing the captives-including Bill's long lost father. This story line is not as smooth or straightforward as in the earlier title. The many plot twists and turns make it far-fetched, even for a talking-crocodile story. The youngest readers may question the "hows" of Bill's adventure. Still, those who enjoyed the earlier capers will want to read this one. They will certainly recognize the scenes at a glance. The illustrations are the same bordered line-and-wash style found in the previous books, and the characters are typical dePaola.-Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI

May 15, 1998
Ages 4^-7. In this sequel to "Bill and Pete (1978) "and "Bill and Pete Go down the Nile (1987)," Pete the Crocodile discovers that the Bad Guy's Big Bad Brother has taken Pete's cousin little Jane Allison from the Nile and loaded her onto a big ship. Pete and his faithful friend (and toothbrush) Bill the bird secretly board the ship too. When Bill retrieves and returns the purse a rich lady has dropped overboard, she rewards him with a life of ease in her gilded cage. Though separated, the two friends meet up in New Orleans. Bill manages to escape in time to help Pete and his new alligator buddies rescue Jane (and in a surprise twist, Pete's long-lost father as well) from the Bad Guy's Big Bad Brother's Exotic Animal Farm. Created with clean lines and sometimes surprising color combinations, the illustrations dramatize the scenes from a variety of different perspectives. Old-fashioned in its full-blown, dramatic plot, yet fresh in its palette and in its sense of fun, this picture book offers characters to care about, troubles to confound them, comic relief along the way, and a happy ending to revel in. Best of all is the feeling of rightness that pervades the whole adventure, from the wonderfully childlike choice of the villain's name to the overwhelming sense that, despite the treachery and stupidity of individuals, the universe is benevolent. ((Reviewed May 15, 1998))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1998, American Library Association.)