Alligator Sue [Hardcover]

Sharon Arms Doucet (Author), Anne Wilsdorf (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

"All you can do is be who you is."

Suzanne Marie Sabine Chicot Thibodeaux (called Sue for short) lives on a houseboat deep in Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Swamp. One lazy summer afternoon when the air grows heavier than a catfish's bath towel, a hurricane swoops Sue up -- only to drop her like a hot patate into the swamp below. Sue finds herself nose-to-snout with a queen-sized, prickly-backed mama Alligator. Luckily, Mama Coco is no ordinary gator. She invites Sue into her family and teaches her all she knows. Sue tries hard to be an alligator; still, every once in a while, she recalls a wisp of a familiar song and begins to wonder: Who am I -- a Gator or a Girl?

How this spirited heroine claims her identity and her name -- Alligator Sue -- makes a funny, affecting, and wise tale, illustrated with irresistible joie de vivre.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-Tarzan of the jungle, make way for Sue of the Bayou! Blown off the deck of her family's houseboat as a child, Sue (short for Suzanne Marie Sabine Chicot Thibodeaux) is rescued and raised by a mother alligator. Come spring, she is tired of her "brothers'" teasing, so she returns to her now-deserted home and Mama Coco tells her that it's time to learn how to be a girl again. When another hurricane threatens, Sue uses her boat and her wits to save her gator-mother's new eggs. Although the plot is predictable, it is told with spirited fun. Doucet's ear for the Louisiana lingo gives the story bounce, and imagery abounds. Wilsdorf's lively ink-and-watercolor cartoon illustrations accentuate the regional feel and help define the characters. The protagonist's bright red dress and upwardly pointed pigtails help her character splash to life against the mossy green of the swamp. Children will love this "rich as pecan pralines" tale of spunky Sue.
Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. Suzanne Marie Sabine Chicot Thibodeaux (Sue, for short) lives with her parents on a houseboat in a Louisiana swamp. One day Sue is whisked away by a hurricane, and winds up in the gator nest of Mama Coco. The nurturing mother gator adopts the human girl and raises her as one of the family. Sue's many failings as an alligator give her 17 brothers and 13 sisters much to laugh about. Fed up with the teasing, Sue swims away and coincidentally discovers her human family's houseboat, triggering faded memories of her life as a girl. With her parents gone, victims of the same hurricane, Sue is left on her own to resolve her identity crisis. A second hurricane leads Sue to discover she doesn't have to choose between human and gator. Humor and excitement abound in this heartwarming picture book, decorated with colorful and expressive cartoon-style illustrations. The lengthy text, difficult vocabulary, and complex plot make this more suitable for the upper age of the target audience. Lauren Peterson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (August 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374302189
• ISBN-13: 978-0374302184
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,582,015 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book with Lots of Cajun Local Color, December 4, 2003

By 

Shane K. Bernard "cadien" (New Iberia, LA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alligator Sue (Hardcover)

My four-year-old daughter first got this book as a loan from the local library, and liked it so much that I bought her a copy to keep. Kids love Sue's free-spirit character and are fascinated by the alligators with whom Sue grows up and regards as her siblings. The book is broken up into three or four chapters, all colorfully illustrated. Because the book is a bit long for younger children, I find it best to read only one or two chapters at a time. Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Lovely!, January 4, 2007

By 

Margaret K. Rahman "Education 1st" (Richardson, tx United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alligator Sue (Hardcover)

I really liked this book. I did this book for a reader's theater and it turn out pretty good. I am sure ole Alligator Sue's author would have love to see that play!

5.0 out of 5 stars Love love love this story!, October 16, 2010

By 

Lark (Eugene, OR) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Alligator Sue (Hardcover)

My daughter and I love this book! Great illustrations, wonderful story, and I especially like to read it to her with a southern accent. Alligator Sue has wonderful adventures and learns important life lessons. I wish the author had written more books.