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AAALLIGATOR!

Name: AAALLIGATOR!
Author: Judith Henderson
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0151-3

by Judith Henderson ; illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 6, 2020

The trope of the unlikely friendship delivered with a traditional feel and a modern message.

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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)

Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-5253-0151-3

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Kids Can

Review Posted Online: July 27, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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WILLA AND WADE AND THE WAY-UP-THERE
by Judith Henderson ; illustrated by Sara Sarhangpour

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LOVE IS IN THE BEAR
by Judith Henderson ; illustrated by Nahid Kazemi

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LION ON THE INSIDE
by Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir with Judith Henderson ; illustrated by Katherine Ahmed

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THE WORLD NEEDS THE WONDER YOU SEE

by Joanna Gaines ; illustrated by Julianna Swaney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 28, 2025

Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.

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Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.

There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”

Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025

ISBN: 9781400247417

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Tommy Nelson

Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORLD NEEDS WHO YOU WERE MADE TO BE
by Joanna Gaines ; illustrated by Julianna Swaney

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)