TROSCLAIR AND THE ALLIGATOR

Trosclair lives on Bayou Fontaine in Louisiana and loves nothing better than hunting turtles in the swamp with his dog Ollie in his pirogue. But now he’s not allowed to go to the swamp because the rogue alligator Gargantua has moved in, scaring everybody. Pere tells him, “That alligator eat you and Ollie so fast he won’t even stop to burp.” But does Trosclair listen to his pa? Nope, not when the lure of the swamp’s silence, Bee Island and the cypress trees calls him. Sure enough, that sneaky, slimy gator corners Trosclair and Ollie up a tree, telling Trosclair, “Trow down dat dog and I’ll leave you alone.” Now Trosclair is sly; by using the old “tar baby in the briar patch” ploy, he “trows” down a beehive instead, which sends the toothy, grinning Gargantua buzzin’ away. Comical illustrations crackle with Cajun flavor and paneled scenes ripple the action, bringing it into play. Never mind that an alligator doesn’t know what a beehive is, this swampy romp of an impish boy outwitting the gnarly gator is plain ole Cajun fun. (Picture book. 5-8)