Customer Reviews

Alley Loo: A Spooky Swamp Tale

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We had the privilage of hearing Mrs. Walz herself read this book at our local library. My 2 year old little girl can not get enough of "Alley Loo". She loves this story and want's it read over and over. Very cute and fun story!

Ever wonder what creatures lurk in the swamp? In Alley Loo: A Spooky Swamp Tale, there's danger all around. There are things in the swamp like you've never seen. A hungry black bear, a big-eyed creature hooting, a polecat slinking back to his bed, bobcats screaming, and bullfrogs bellowing. But they all have a warning for you--"Run. Hide. If you see Alley Loo!"

Who's Alley Loo you might ask and what's so scary about Alley Loo? This rhyming romp in the swamp provides a wonderful opportunity for young readers to guess who Alley Loo is and they'll just adore the illustration of the animals cuddled in a heap afraid of Alley Loo. Just beware because Alley Loo is an animal you may run across sooner or later for Alley Loo is... a baby alligator!

Wedel's illustrations portray Alley Loo as the cutest gator you could ever meet--what alligator have you seen that wears a pink bow and pink scarf? So why is everyone afraid of Alley Loo? Her Mama, Betty Jo!

A typical swamp is full of plants, wildlife, and water and Walz has captured this dark and lonely place in a fun, rhyming story that provides a wonderful introduction to the creatures that lurk in the swamp. The story shows the love a mother has for her baby and the lengths she'll go to protect her. Wedel's illustrations compliment the text with mysterious and spooky watercolors of scary creatures you may encounter if you enter at your own risk.

My daughter received a copy of this in the mail. She immediately loved the spooky mysterious side of the story and loved the silly twist at the end. She has carried this book around with her for the past 2 days and begs us to read it to her again and again. This is a fun story written in verse and put together with vivid images of the swamp. An enjoyable read for all!

In the fun tradition of spooky tales for young children, Walz and Wedel lead a jaunt through a vibrant cypress swamp teeming with possums, polecats, and coons, but always wary of Alley Loo. The rhyming text flows over the page following the contours of the swamp and its inhabitants as text and color-saturated illustrations merge into vivid scenes. Animal by animal, the curiosity builds, "Now you might ask: `What's so scary? Is Alley Loo stinky or big and hairy?" The answer is perfect, for those who love to be scared, just a bit.

What's going on in the black water swamp?

Bellowing bullfrogs, big-eyed owls, and hungry bears echo the same warning: Watch out for Alley Loo! But who--or what--is the mysterious Alley Loo?

Children will delight in these rollicking rhymes and colorful wildlife illustrations. They'll also learn about the diversity of life in our swamplands as the fun and tantalizing secret is revealed page by page.

Can you guess the swampy secret? Bet you'll be surprised.