Gator Gumbo: A Spicy-Hot Tale [Hardcover]

Candace Fleming (Author), Sally Anne Lambert (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

A new take on The Little Red Hen -- Cajun style

Poor Monsieur Gator is getting old and is moving so slow he can't catch himself a taste of possum or otter, or even a whiff of skunk. Day after day those animals tease and taunt him until, finally, he decides to cook up some gumbo just like Maman used to make. But who will help him boil, catch, sprinkle, and chop? Certainly not rude Mademoiselle Possum, ornery Monsieur Otter, or sassy Madame Skunk. But when the gumbo is ready, they're more than eager to enjoy the result of Gator's hard work and as they run to get a taste - "Slurp! Slip! Plop! Them animals go into the pot." "Mmm-mmm," says Monsieur Gator. "Now, this is gumbo just like Maman used to make."

Illustrated with wit and whimsy, this mischievous tale will have young readers laughing out loud.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Old Monsieur Gator is very slow. He moves "slower than saw grass grows" and "slower than a snail with sore feet." He can no longer catch any of his tasty fellow bayou creatures to eat, "And--oh ho!--them critters sure know it." The possum, skunk, and otter taunt him, wiggling and sashaying just out of his reach. Finally, Gator gets hot (red hot) and hatches a crafty plan--he will make gumbo. When he asks who will help him, Little Red Hen-style, the creatures don't say "Not I," but "I ain't," (a reply more fitting for a Louisiana bayou). But when Gator finishes his okra and crawdad soup, and asks "Who' gonna help eat it?" the chorus chimes "Me! Me!" Gator agrees to let the otter, skunk, and possum take a sip, but when they lean over the pot, slurping and slipping, "Them animals go into the pot." A harsh fate for Gator's sassy tormenters? Perhaps, but revenge is downright tasty for Monsieur Gator.

If all this bayou cooking (albeit with characters from the book as ingredients) gets your mouth a-watering, a recipe for "Maman's Spicy-Hot Gumbo" adorns the back cover of the book. Sally Anne Lambert (of Barkus, Sly and the Golden Egg captures the expressions of the tortured old gator and the taunting bullies with great skill, and her use of color and composition is no less than exquisite. A spicy-hot read-aloud, straight from the bayou. (Ages 5 and older) --Karin Snelson

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3--This is a classic tale of contemptuous characters getting a well-deserved comeuppance, with a few interesting twists to spice up the dish. Poor Monsieur Gator is too old to catch his dinner, a fact that has not escaped his former prey--a possum, an otter, and a skunk. As he barely scrapes by on vegetables, the cruel animals tease him endlessly. Finally, Monsieur Gator decides to cook up some gumbo, "just like Maman used to make," and in a sequence straight out of "The Little Red Hen," he asks his tormentors to help him gather the ingredients. Of course they refuse to participate until the fragrant stew is ready and they gather around hoping for a taste. The wily old predator obliges by tricking them into the pot. Although Lambert's watercolors capture the general mood of the swamp, the absence of anything resembling palmetto fronds or moss-hung cypress trees is telling. Also, anyone who has ever cooked gumbo will immediately recognize that Monsieur Gator's recipe is way off base. Fortunately, the story flows well in spite of these slips and Gator ultimately accomplishes his goal. Both the story and the illustrations are well executed. For more authentic swamp scenes and Cajun critters, mix in anything by Tynia Thomassie, J. J. Renaux, or Sharon Arms Doucet.--Sean George, Memphis-Shelby County Public Library & Information Center, Memphis, TN
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (March 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374380503
• ISBN-13: 978-0374380502
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #590,096 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #90 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Alligators & Crocodiles

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun twist on the Little Red Hen, September 11, 2005

By 

mom of Ds "modad" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gator Gumbo: A Spicy-Hot Tale (Hardcover)

Both my 3 year old son and my 7 year old cousin love this book so it covers a lot of age ground. You don't have to be good at accents to read this book because the wounderful choice of words turn any readers voice into "bayou speak". I've gotten several copies to give as gifts and in all a couple of pages have blurred type (obviously not intentional) so that is my only reservation in recommending it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cautionary tale, April 1, 2006

By 

Camille "at the BookMoot!" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Gator Gumbo: A Spicy-Hot Tale (Hardcover)

This Cajun-style version of the little red hen has a real twist at the end of the story. There are wonderful rhythms and repeats that invite listeners to chant along with the story. Kids who are used to "happy, clappy" endings were open-mouth when has some of the characters come to a very bad end! I love cautionary tales!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun book about alligators, March 2, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Gator Gumbo: A Spicy-Hot Tale (Hardcover)

Very nice book, very fun, great characters, nice graphics and a high learning curve and this is better than Disneyland.