Alberto the Dancing Alligator [Hardcover]

Richard Waring (Author), Holly Swain (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 22, 2002 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

After Tina's pet alligator Alberto accidentally goes down the toilet, she has to find a way to save him from the city's alligator hunters.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Toilet humor of the most literal kind drives British author Waring's winning story. A tango-loving alligator named Alberto is accidentally flushed down the toilet by his devoted young owner/dance partner Tina. At first, Alberto loves life in "the world way below the city." Newcomer Swan shows Alberto blithely wending his way through a maze of water pipes, joining the sewer rats in water ballet, and then impressing them with his Olympics-worthy diving (they hold up score cards). But when Alberto decides to reverse his journey and return to Tina, he unwittingly wreaks havoc on city dwellers everywhere as he surfaces in one wrong toilet after another ("1,000 alligators on the loose, all bathrooms at risk!" read the newspaper headlines). Swan's comic strip-style frames build momentum until the joyful, tango-facilitated reunion of Tina and Alberto. This neat twist on the old urban legend of alligators lurking in the sewers should leave kids flush with laughter. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-Although this delightful book starts out in a quiet, almost humdrum way, it takes a hilarious turn when Tina accidentally flushes her pet alligator, who "loved music, particularly the tango," down the toilet. Children will love following the fellow down the sewer maze and helping him find his way home. The misadventures continue as Alberto turns up in every bathroom in town except his own, there are numerous calls to the police, and a newspaper reports on its front page, "1,000 Alligators [are] on the Loose." Finally, Tina finds a way to lead her musical meanderer back to her lavatory. With its charming watercolor and colored-pencil cartoon illustrations, this book could supplement or be a starting point for thematic units on topics such as dancing, what lies under city streets, how rumors get started, and pets.
Sheryl L. Shipley, North Central Local Schools, Pioneer, OH
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (July 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763619531
• ISBN-13: 978-0763619534
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,293,158 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Friendship is a tango., March 29, 2003

By 

Jessi Platt (Auburn, AL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alberto the Dancing Alligator (Hardcover)

Alberto is an alligator who loves to dance the tango with his friend, Tina. One day while dancing in the bathroom, Alberto is accidentally flushed down the toilet! When everyone in town panics about alligators in the sewers, only Tina knows what to do.

This incredibly funny story combines likeable characters and colorful illustrations. Readers will love the hilarious mix-up and the friendship shared by an alligator and a girl.

READING LEVEL: Grades 1-3

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My 4 yr old loves this book, December 15, 2004

By 

LaFavor - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alberto the Dancing Alligator (Hardcover)

My daughter was given this book for her 4th b-day. She likes books but this one really got her attention. She thinks it's the funniest book she's ever heard and we can never read it just once in a sitting. She also likes to make-up stories about what Alberto does when he's swiming in the sewers - good thing she doesn't really understand what a sewer is :-) It's a sweet, silly story that I don't mind reading multiple times every day.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Had to own a copy!, May 28, 2004

By 

JKIRedlands (Redlands, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Alberto the Dancing Alligator (Hardcover)

we borrowed this book from the library, and my 2 & 4 year olds loved it. We had to buy a copy to add to our collection of favorites! This is a wonderful story of a little girl and her pet alligator who become separated, due to some funny mishap, and their journey to find eachother again. It's a fun book to read and the illustrations are wonderful. This is one of our family's favorite!