Gator, Gator, Gator!

by Daniel Bernstrom, Frann Preston-Gannon (Illustrator)

Overview

*A Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year*

From the author of One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree:

Do you wanna? Wanna see?

Let’s go find that gator, gator, gator!

COME WITH ME!

Put on your life jacket, hop in the boat, and raise your binoculars—it’s time to go on an adventure!

In Daniel Bernstrom’s follow-up to the critically acclaimed One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree, a fearless little girl takes off in search of a giant gator—but she’s not going into that swamp alone! No way! She wants YOU, the reader, to come along.

Off you go, peering through the lush landscapes, looking for that gator! But each time you think you see it? Oops! Just a fox. Or some ducks! Or a snake. Maybe you’ll never find the gator, gator, gator . . .

With stunning illustrations from Sendak Fellow Frann Preston-Gannon, readers experience the feeling of being on a real adventure deep in the swamp. Rhyming, repeating, and exhilarating, the text is a delightful read-aloud romp that will entertain and make everyone’s heart skip a beat!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062463302
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/09/2018
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Daniel Bernstrom is the author of the critically acclaimed One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree as well as Gator, Gator, Gator!, Big Papa and the Time Machine, Song in the City, and Good Night, Little Man. Dan earned an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Hamline University and currently works at the Learning Resource Center coordinator at Minnesota State College Southeast, where he tutors students in math, writing, and science. He lives in Red Wing, Minnesota, with his wife, Heather; daughter, LaVonne; and sons, Grace, and Haven.

Editorial Reviews

With full-page spreads of bold color, especially blues and greens, Preston-Gannon invites young readers to notice and discuss the clearly illustrated flora and fauna.” — Kirkus Reviews

“This story’s inclusive, mildly spooky plot and its visual details will engage kids and encourage rereading for what they might have missed.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2018-07-03
An updated, aquatic version of "We're Going on a Bear Hunt," this #ownvoices-authored story has a protagonist who possesses more curiosity than courage.In this swamp-filled, poetic, circular tale, an unnamed child asks readers Dora the Explorer-type direct-address questions while inviting readers aboard a motorboat. Since Granny has said that the gator has skin "like nails" and a temper that's "hot like sauce," the protagonist imparts safety advice and passes you a life jacket and a pair of binoculars. Shadowed shapes that prompt many false alarms enable young readers to guess which animals the protagonist sees before light and a binocular view reveal them. When a big shadowy hint suggests that the protagonist is about to find that gator, a hasty retreat commences. Set in the bayou, this book features a black girl with an afro-puff ponytail, contributing to what may be a growing genre of children's books that depict black and brown children and families enjoying nature. Notably, the companion to whom the protagonist hands binoculars has arms that are equally brown, frequently seen breaking into the frame. With full-page spreads of bold color, especially blues and greens, Preston-Gannon invites young readers to notice and discuss the clearly illustrated flora and fauna.This story's inclusive, mildly spooky plot and its visual details will engage kids and encourage rereading for what they might have missed. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews