Alligators and Others All Year Long: A Book of Months - Softcover

Animals celebrate seasonal delights--from an ice-skating January cat to November pigs feasting on pie and December's union of all the characters to carry a Christmas tree. At New Year's, the months are compared to 12 presents waiting to be unwrapped, with their contents revealed at the end--a striking simile; there's also much alliteration and some clever wordplay, but, overall, the poetry is amateurish. Too many words are chosen merely to fit the rhyme scheme; there are mystifying references (the ``Lotus Castle'' in August; ``our gracious hostess'' in November), and an inexcusable grammatical lapse in (``friends brings treats''). The irresistible gouache paintings far outshine the text, with humorous touches like an alligator in the extreme foreground staring hungrily at the reader, five seagulls in skydiving formation, and a jack-o'-lantern with such a long grin that it resembles--yes, the alligator! A concluding song (melody by Bill Haymes) needs an accompaniment to support its syncopated rhythms and implied harmonic changes, but the lower staff has been left blank--so why print it at all? (Poetry/Picture book. 5-8) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

PreSchool-Grade 2-A satisfying concept book. Following a poem about the year, which compares the months to gifts that a group of animal friends have wrapped, are short rhymes about each month and a picture of an animal engaged in an appropriate activity (Cat skates in January; Fox delivers valentines in February; Moose eats daffodils in March). The verses are light and humorous. Dewey and Aruego's pen-and-ink and gouache illustrations are some of the best they've done. Brightly colored paintings depict distinctive animals acting out the poems, and are enhanced by a well-conceived layout. This book could certainly be used in story times, but individual readers will savor the details. Although there are plenty of other titles on the months, this one definitely has the edge in verve and vivacity. A delight to look at and to read.
Judy Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.