PIZZA FOR BIRDS

An insecure alligator struggles when a rival enters the scene.

Chez Bob (see what the author did there?) enjoys his life as a birdseed chef for the forest fauna until one day another alligator appears, impressing the birds with his delicious pizza and fun bike stunts. After a brief wallow at being outshined, Bob turns to the “internest,” where he uses fake accounts to post lies and other trolling comments about Ryan and his pizza. Taking the online negativity at face value, Ryan prepares to leave town for an unhappy ending—“going away to art school”—while Bob considers the harm he caused before eventually coming clean to Ryan. Though Shea’s takeaway lacks subtlety, so do neon-colored alligators in check-print flannel; the medium fits the message. Overall, the kinetic illustrations and humorous tone leaven what could be an aggressively didactic story into an enjoyable jumping-off point for discussions about responsible internet use and possibly the proliferation of fake news. Shea even offers an illuminating definition of lies that may resonate with young and adult readers alike: “a bunch of not-true things I made up to get what I want.” Bob barely takes accountability for his actions (“I had a good reason”), and the conflict resolves with ludicrous ease, but the purpose here is less authentic character growth and more a lesson in social media etiquette.

A high-energy introduction to ethical internet use.