Review by New York Times Review
"Shake your eggs high! Shake your eggs low!" Sound familiar? You've been to those neighborhood classes that introduce many toddlers (and parents) to music - and organized learning. But as Weinstone, the former punk rocker behind the popular Music for Aardvarks program, knows, not every child jumps right in. As the others rock out with their bearded teacher, one little guy needs time. By the end of this friendly, stylishly illustrated rhyme-fest, he's got the beat and hates to say goodbye. MAPLE & WILLOW APART Written and illustrated by Lori Nichols. 32 pp. Nancy Paulsen. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 2 to 6) It's a moment of hard truth every younger sibling faces: Maple is off to kindergarten, while Willow's routine stays the same. In the latest in this utterly charming series about two tree-loving sisters, Maple compounds the injury by coming home each day and gabbing endlessly about the exciting goings-on at school. Luckily, Willow finds a magical new friend, Pip, who sometimes seems like a plain old acorn. Nichols's touch is light and deft as ever as playing with Pip brings the girls together again. DAD'S FIRST DAY Written and illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka. 32 pp. Bloomsbury. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 6) Wohnoutka's back-to-school story mines the helicopter parenting phenomenon for big laughs, even for those who may cringe in recognition. After Oliver and his father spend a summer doing everything together, it's Dad who's reluctant to face the first day of school. "My tummy hurts," he says, then dawdles and hides as Oliver worries about being late. "You're probably going to really miss me when you're at school," Dad says in the car, to which the smiling child replies, deadpan, "Sure, Daddy." MONKEY: Not Ready for Kindergarten Written and illustrated by Marc Brown. 32 pp. Knopf. $12.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 6) Poor Monkey is not convinced by all the enthusiasm for his first day of kindergarten. He has a list of what might go wrong, like "What if his teacher doesn't like him?" A play date with future classmates and an arranged secret goodbye handshake with his parents pay off as he enters the classroom smiling. Brown patiently covers the fear-of-school bases, and his soft, child-like art, which evokes an improbably skillful grade-schooler's crayon work, helps put us inside Monkey's point of view. IF YOU EVER WANT TO BRING AN ALLIGATOR TO SCHOOL, DON'T! Written and illustrated by Elise Parsley. 32 pp. Little, Brown. $17. (Picture book; ages 4 to 7) This debut introduces Magnolia, who has a choppy black haircut and a mouth often wide open in a yelp. She has some hard-won advice: Alligators are not advisable in school. Hers caused a heap of disaster, with enormous webs of chewing gum, origami everywhere and a mean-looking gray-haired teacher dispensing punishment. Some adults may find it too familiar, but children are likely to get a kick out of Magnolia's not-quite-contrite tone and the colorful chaos her giant pet creates. ONLINE An expanded visual presentation of this week's column at nytimes.com/books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [August 23, 2015]
Review by Booklist Review
In teacherspeak, Magnolia is . . . spirited (you can tell just by the way she decorated her locker). When show-and-tell rolls around, Magnolia doesn't bring a bird's nest or a hollow stick like everybody else. She brings an alligator (it's OK; she knows all about them). But alligators are trouble: he draws funny pictures during spelling, makes paper airplanes during art, and gets gum everywhere during math (but, hey, at least he didn't eat any kids). And, of course, it's Magnolia who's in hot water. But maybe, if the duo is really good until show-and-tell, she can impress her teacher with her knowledge of alligator facts and not get sent to the principal's office after all. Maybe. Told in Give a Mouse a Cookie-style second person, this how-not-to-behave instruction manual has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments for a young audience. Parsley excels particularly at depicting facial expressions: mischievous Magnolia looks like a real terror, the teacher is understandably exasperated, and the alligator is a master of the crocodile smile. A fun, quirky offering with plenty of read-aloud appeal.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A shaggy-haired, moon-faced girl named Magnolia morphs from smug to seething in Parsley's debut, a cautionary tale about the risks of bringing an alligator to school. In second-person narration à la If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Magnolia explains how to defuse an unhappy teacher ("You'll tell her that it's okay and that you know all about alligators. The alligator will be good and quiet and he won't eat anyone-cross your heart"), but the gator's mischievous tendencies test the girl's patience and threaten to land her in the principal's office. (Eventually, Magnolia's name ends up written on the classroom chalkboard with three checkmarks next to it "and an underline"!) Parsley's digitally created illustrations brim with energy and just-edgy-enough humor (during math, a classmate is blissfully unaware how close he is to becoming the alligator's next meal), and the well-chosen school-day details in both the artwork and text ("By now, of course, you'll wish you brought a hollow stick or a bird's nest or some sparkly rocks for show-and-tell") deliver a steady stream of laughs. Ages 3-6. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Is Magnolia a rebel or natural leader? Readers will need to decide when this young avant-garde student brings an alligator to school for show and tell. In second person narration, readers are warned against bringing an alligator to school, as the text and illustrations use Magnolia and her mischievious alligator as examples of the havoc that such a creature can bring to a classroom setting. After the alligator chews gum in class, tries to eat a student, and shows funny pictures during the teacher's lesson, he is finally introduced during show and tell. When Magnolia reveals a surprising fact about alligators (they are only afraid of other alligators-and humans!), the troublesome creature makes a run for it. Magnolia, could be the sister of David, from David Shannon's picture book series, with her large round head, wide mouth, and wiry hair. Magnolia is as busy as the alligator and just as prone to tomfoolery. The endpapers continue the goofy fun. VERDICT This is an engaging debut picture book written in free verse will appeal to a wide age range. Here's hoping for more adventures with Magnolia!-Gwen Collier, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Magnolia learns the hard way that an alligator is not a great item to bring for show and tell, and she wants readers to learn from her experience. While Magnolia's struggles with the alligator and his rambunctious behavior will be funny to kids, it's adults who have dealt with similar behavior from their own young charges who will chuckle loudest. First, the alligator makes Magnolia laugh during spelling by showing her the funny picture he's drawn. Her name goes on the board: last in line at lunch. She takes his crayons away. Then his origami paper airplane goes astray during art. The check next to Magnolia's name means no recess. She takes away the paper. Some gum distracts him from eating a classmate...but makes a mess nonethelesstwo more checks and an underline mean a trip to the principal's office. Magnolia may be down, but she's not out: she has a trick up her sleeve that just might turn her day around. Or not. Parsley's digital illustrations are a riot, Magnolia's smug expression gradually changing to chagrin, anger, and outright terror as the alligator continues his shenanigans, none worse than what a toddler dishes out on a regular basis. Readers will certainly agree that alligators do not belong at school, and parents, if they are far enough removed from them, will fondly remember the days of their own children's mischief. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
