Constructed To Withstand Hours Of Fun
Description
Along came the alligator,
chomp, chomp, chomp!
From the internationally bestselling children’s book creator Matthew Van Fleet comes the story of a hungry little alligator who gulps his way from one to ten. Ten touchable textures, a sturdy chomping pull tab, and a grand finale pop-up are sure to engage the youngest readers.
Details
Author: Matthew Van Fleet
Publisher: Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (September 2018)
- Pages: 26
- Ages: 2 +
My Thoughts
“One shiny, blue fish / swimming in the swamp. / Along came the alligator . . . / chomp, chomp, chomp!”
Children can pull the tab on the side of the book to make the alligator’s mouth open and snap shut. The blue fish has shiny portions to feel and there is a cat tail with a soft fabric. The story then proceeds to two otters, then three cranes, etc.
If you’re like me, even though each page is brightly colored, has cutouts to run a finger around and textured
material to feel representing soft fur, a cat tail, or feathers, the chomp aspect of the story and a hungry alligator
might worry you.
But don’t worry. The counting continues until we get to ten hummingbirds. All the time the alligator is growing larger with each chomp of what has been counted. But after reaching ten,
One enormous alligator, / so full his tummy hurts. / Along came one last ô€¢¢ny fish, / chomp, chomp . . .
BURP! / Excuse me!”
All the animals (unharmed) come flying out and land all over the last large foldout page. The reader is then invited
to read the book again but to count the insects on each page, which are scattered around the illustrations.
What Concerned Me
As stated above, if you are squeamish or reluctant in any way about even imagining the animals being chomped, this book may not be a good choice. Though the only chomping comes from the alligator’s mouth opening and closing. We never see animals being eaten, etc.
What I Liked Most
This book has so many features that it’s hard not to like it. The illustrations are very child-friendly and bright. The ability to touch so many things on each page, then later search for the insects, should keep children entertained for hours. And, of course, the pullout tab to chomp will delight most kids.
About the Author
Matthew Van Fleet’s innovative books have been introducing children to basic concepts for more than twenty years. His uniquely designed board books invite toddlers to touch, press, pull, lift, and even sniff as they explore colors, shapes, numbers, letters, opposites, and more. His New York Times bestselling titles include Cat, Heads, Alphabet, and Moo, as well as the #1 New York Times bestsellers Tails and Dog. He lives with his family in New York. Visit him online at VanFleetBooks.com. (courtesy Simon & Schuster)
