If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don't! by Elise Parsley

Genres: Picture Book

Release Date: July 7th, 2015
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: BEA 2015

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Note to self: If your teacher tells you to bring something from nature for show-and-tell, she does not want you to bring an alligator! But nothing will stop Magnolia, who's determined to have the best show-and-tell of all--until her reptilian rapscallion starts getting her into some major trouble. Now it's up to Magnolia to find a way to send this troublemaker home--but what could possibly scare an alligator away?

What do you mean I am too old to be reading picture books? SHUSHHHHH.  I READ WHAT I WANT and what I want to read are cute picture books like this one.

A couple months ago, I decided I wanted to read picture books and it’s been an interesting experience. I read middle grade novels often these days and sometimes my age does become an issue, but it’s even harder to ignore that picture books are written for an audience that is NOT me. It is why it’s even harder to come across picture books that completely win my heart over and cross over from the territory of being enjoyable and cute.

This one did. For starters, all the artwork in the book is GORGEOUS. I am actually flipping through the pages again as I write this review to see the amazing artwork once again. The story is also really cute and features a little girl who decides to bring an Alligator to school for show and tell. As the title already lets you know, it’s not such a great idea and she ends up not having such a great day.

This is the perfect book to read aloud to kids, and to read aloud to yourself (hush, don’t judge). This book not only has my approval, but the approval of one little 6 year old girl who enjoyed it too so you know it’s going to be a great little picture book.