Gator Dad

April 11, 2016
Lies (Bats at the Beach) urges readers to “squeeze the day” as he follows an alligator family’s at-home silliness (“If something in the fridge has gone bad... I’ll let you smell it, too”) and outdoor adventures. “I might even agree to do something that maybe we shouldn’t have done,” writes Lies, channeling the father’s perspective, as the gators tightrope walk across a fallen tree before tumbling into the pond below. Living room forts, cozying up during a thunderstorm, and bedtime reading are all richly illustrated in acrylic paintings filled with fun details to spot (the cereal aisle at the grocery store offers Mice Crispies and Deerios, for example). It’s a winning combination of warmth, humor, and heart. Ages 4–7.

April 1, 2016
A gator dad and his three hatchlings "squeeze the day" they have together. The morning starts with Dad waking up the kids and feeding them a high-energy breakfast of pan-fried fish, tails sticking out of the breading. Then it's on to errands at the grocery store (in one of those carts that looks like a car) and some outdoor adventures at the local park: football, a seesaw, swings. While the start was uneven, from here on out, Lies writes with a just-right combination of lyricism and pragmatism: "I'll be your raft on a sea of grass, / a tree for you to climb. // I might even agree to do something // that maybe we shouldn't have done." Back home and dry again, they settle down with a book or perhaps "tear the house apart" building a fort out of blankets and couch cushions. This is a dad who will play dress-up and "teach you the sounds that all your toys make," a dad who will supervise tub time, hug you through a storm, robot you to bed, read one last book, and then look forward to more "squeezing" tomorrow. Lies' acrylic illustrations are filled with small details to notice, especially the labels on cans and boxes, but what is most evident are the feelings these four have for one another. Dads, squeeze the day with your own children just as this one does. (Picture book. 4-8)

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February 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-A fun-loving and vivacious alligator dad embraces the tasks of the day with his three little gators in tow. He knows how to make errands exciting and the little things in life robust. Gator Dad sets off on a day of imaginative adventure through the grocery store, the park, and the neighborhood and even back at home. Gator Dad's energy knows no limits, and kids will love seeing how he tackles the everyday occurrences in life. The illustrations are colorful and fun, adding a great deal of humor to the story. The hues are rich and vibrant, and the characters' expressions are full of joy. The concise prose is lyrical but not rhyming. "I'll be your raft on a sea of grass, /a tree for you to climb./I might even agree to do something/ that maybe we shouldn't have done." The content of the story will pull listeners in and keep them engaged. VERDICT This is great fun as a read-aloud, and early readers will enjoy the challenge of independent reading as well.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2016
Preschool-G Gator Dad is one cool dad. He and his three kids squeeze the day, eking out everything they can and pushing conventional limits to turn daily activities into exciting romps. Dad is both inclusive ( If something in the fridge has gone bad . . . I'll let you smell it, too ) and unorthodox, his methods resulting in the occasional mishap (such as an accidental dunk in a pond). Lies' rich paintings add humor and are especially effective in capturing the gator kids' gleeful expressions. Scenes include quiet times, too, such as cuddling on the couch and goodnight stories. Many of the illustrations spill across double-page spreads, making this a great choice for a read-aloud. This gator family seems to have an idyllic setup: there is no job or school to get in the way of their fun, and mealtimes, bath times, and bedtimes all appear to be drama free. When the book ends with Gator Dad's charmingly offbeat invitation ( Let's squeeze tomorrow, too ), young readers will be ready.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2017
From start to finish, the titular father leads his alligator kids through a stellar, action-packed day: pancakes, shopping, park visit, reading, pillow forts, dress-up, bath time, and "one more story" before bedtime. Acrylic paintings with heavy shadowing capture the happy reptile family's high-energy hijinks; with a spare, lyrical text, the book celebrates fathers and the many small moments that collectively create childhood experiences.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)