Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator! by Mo Willems - ADVISABLE

Willems, Mo Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator! Balzer + Bray, 2011. $17.99.

These "6 1/2 stories about 2 surprising friends" showcase Amanda and her toy alligator giving each other a series of surprises - some much more pleasant than others. When Amanda's final surprise is to bring a stuffed panda home and promptly leave for dinner, Alligator must learn the dynamics of a new friendship.

Willems' illustrations are sparse and easy to follow with plenty of white space, the stories are delightful and often humorous, and the very short "chapters" will appeal to children who are on the verge of reading actual chapter books but haven't quite made the leap. The book has a strong pro-reading stance, as Amanda encourages her alligator to "beat boredom with books" and almost always has her nose in library books with amusing titles (e.g. How to Raise a Tiger and Climbing Things for Fun and Profit). 

EL - ADVISABLE. Caryn

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