Alan, a handsome blue and green alligator, is proudly carrying on his family legacy of being scary. And, of course, the scariest thing about him is his teeth - large, white, and razor-sharp.
Also *ahem* false. WHAT? Yep. Nobody knows Alan's secret, that every night he puts away his teeth, whispering "Thweet dweams, my thcary thnappers." But one day, Barry the beaver makes an interesting discovery...and suddenly Alan isn't so scary anymore. Alan is devastated until he and all the small animals come to a compromise - and Alan learns that there's a time to be scary and a time to be useful!
The pictures are delightfully creepy and silly, with crazy colors, swathes of vibrant paint, and, of course, Alan's brilliant teeth. Jarvis' art has a simple, scribbly quality that nevertheless conveys plenty of broad humor and emotions. Kids will giggle their way through this story and then possibly try their hand at their own silly animal art, from alligator to hat-wearing blue beavers.
Verdict: If you must have a lesson with your picture books, this is a great one for being considerate of others and learning about being appropriate. Otherwise, you can just laugh yourself silly through the book. Recommended.
ISBN: 9780763680203; Published 2016 by Candlewick; Purchased for the library
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