Title: An Alligator’s Tale: Or Love Is Blind
Author: Adrienne Harrell
Illustrated by: JoelRay Pellerin
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-5245-0424-3
Pages: 30
Genre: Illustrated Children’s book /Juvenile Fiction
Reviewed by: Cindy Smith
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Pacific Book Review
With humor deeply embedded in each detail and a broad application of poetic license, author Adrienne Harrell has created a story that is both fanciful and funny. Yes, having a huge alligator come into a family’s home and become a pet is a bit of a reach for credibility, but let’s not put anything past the imagination of youngsters reading or being read An Alligator’s Tale: Or Love Is Blind, the author’s premier children’s book.
The book needed the lovely illustrations by JoelRay Pellerin in order to foster the imagery of just how an alligator would look in a home – in the bath tub, at the foot of the bed sleeping like a pet dog, and frolicking in the living room getting rowdy and having its tale swinging – breaking furniture and a chandelier. Oh well, the Mom didn’t like that chandelier anyway.
But that’s just how normal absurdity can be. You see, this isn’t an ordinary alligator. This reptile escaped from the circus and was found by some young kids while fishing in the river. They, at first, didn’t know this was a tame gator – so the family all ran around chasing the beast out of their house, but soon learned it only wanted love – and food, lots of it. So after seeing a news story about the missing circus star, the family figured out the guest in their house isn’t a threat but a celebrity. What do you say to a 10-foot alligator that wants to sit in the Dad’s favorite chair? What do you do when an alligator with a 2-foot smile is hungry? These are the sort of issues the family needed to work out, before some other local ladies catch the critter and make a handbag and shoes out of the alligator’s hide.
A really cute book with accompanying pictures makes An Alligator’s Tale a heart- warming and unforgettable bedtime story, complete with teeth! Even as an adult the story has imprinted itself in my mind and I can honestly say I will never forget it. I can imagine the giggles of children being read this at bedtime, afterwards wanting to have a light left on in the room, of course. Also I was pleased to see the disclaimer at the end of the book saying to keep away from these creatures, and not to go up and hug an alligator! The best thing to do when confronted by one of these beasts is turn away, run and say, “See you later alligator!”
