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What If There Are Alligators?
Award-winning author Beverley Brenna, delivers a very funny middle-grade novel. Belvin enjoys his summer at Aunt Edna's goat farm, where he learns the unexpected joys of farming!
Nine-year-old Belvin has lived in the shadow of his gregarious twin brother who is determined to go to summer camp—where Belvin doesn’t want to go. His biological father has disappeared; his mother longs to be a novelist; and his stepfather Pops is bent on an independent summer trip to Copenhagen. What’s Belvin to do but spend the summer on his aunt’s goat farm? There he learns a lot of new things about raising goats, making friends, facing his fears, and, ultimately, how to trust himself.
Belvin’s deep-seated fear of alligators began in childhood, although living on the prairies makes confronting one unlikely, he has cultivated a fascination for all apex predators. His overblown terror fades as he spends the summer learning to be onhis own without following behind his twin brother. Belvin thrives in this new doing heavy farm work; hanging out with the goats; and making friends with a neighbour girl. In the end, Belvin shows thoughtful and quick-witted decision making as he rises to a particularly frightening situation and saves the day.
A thoughtful and funny tale of Belvin’s crazy summer vacation where he grows through new experiences, finds unexpected bravery, and ultimately realizes that everyone is different and can follow their own path.
Nine-year-old Belvin has lived in the shadow of his gregarious twin brother who is determined to go to summer camp—where Belvin doesn’t want to go. His biological father has disappeared; his mother longs to be a novelist; and his stepfather Pops is bent on an independent summer trip to Copenhagen. What’s Belvin to do but spend the summer on his aunt’s goat farm? There he learns a lot of new things about raising goats, making friends, facing his fears, and, ultimately, how to trust himself.
Belvin’s deep-seated fear of alligators began in childhood, although living on the prairies makes confronting one unlikely, he has cultivated a fascination for all apex predators. His overblown terror fades as he spends the summer learning to be onhis own without following behind his twin brother. Belvin thrives in this new doing heavy farm work; hanging out with the goats; and making friends with a neighbour girl. In the end, Belvin shows thoughtful and quick-witted decision making as he rises to a particularly frightening situation and saves the day.
A thoughtful and funny tale of Belvin’s crazy summer vacation where he grows through new experiences, finds unexpected bravery, and ultimately realizes that everyone is different and can follow their own path.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2026
About the author
Beverley Brenna
23 books24 followersBeverley Brenna calls Saskatoon, Saskatchewan home base, and loves to travel (both for real, and through reading)!
She published her first poem in The Western Producer at age seven. From this point, she was hooked on writing!
Much of what she writes contains autobiographical scenes, such as the "friendship soup" in The Keeper of the Trees, and the care and keeping of a pet tarantula in Spider Summer.
She has worked as a babysitter, home daycare mom, clerk steno, draftsperson, caregiver for orphan lambs, teacher, and university professor as well as a writer and storyteller.
She published her first poem in The Western Producer at age seven. From this point, she was hooked on writing!
Much of what she writes contains autobiographical scenes, such as the "friendship soup" in The Keeper of the Trees, and the care and keeping of a pet tarantula in Spider Summer.
She has worked as a babysitter, home daycare mom, clerk steno, draftsperson, caregiver for orphan lambs, teacher, and university professor as well as a writer and storyteller.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read this with my 8-year-old granddaughter, and we both really enjoyed it.
Living in Florida, we're pretty used to seeing alligators, so we had to laugh at Belvin's constant worry about them. It made for some fun conversations while we were reading together.
Beyond the alligator jokes, this turned out to be a really sweet story about facing fears, building confidence, and discovering that you're stronger than you think. Belvin spends the summer on his aunt's goat farm while his twin brother heads off to camp, and watching him grow more independent was rewarding from beginning to end.
My granddaughter loved all the animals, especially the goats, and I appreciated how naturally the story encouraged conversations about anxiety, trying new things, and believing in yourself without ever feeling preachy.
This is a wonderful middle grade read that's perfect for independent readers or as a family read-aloud. It has plenty of heart, a few laughs, and a message that kids can easily connect with.
We both enjoyed our time with Belvin, and it's a book I'd happily recommend to families with elementary-aged readers.
I read this with my 8-year-old granddaughter, and we both really enjoyed it.
Living in Florida, we're pretty used to seeing alligators, so we had to laugh at Belvin's constant worry about them. It made for some fun conversations while we were reading together.
Beyond the alligator jokes, this turned out to be a really sweet story about facing fears, building confidence, and discovering that you're stronger than you think. Belvin spends the summer on his aunt's goat farm while his twin brother heads off to camp, and watching him grow more independent was rewarding from beginning to end.
My granddaughter loved all the animals, especially the goats, and I appreciated how naturally the story encouraged conversations about anxiety, trying new things, and believing in yourself without ever feeling preachy.
This is a wonderful middle grade read that's perfect for independent readers or as a family read-aloud. It has plenty of heart, a few laughs, and a message that kids can easily connect with.
We both enjoyed our time with Belvin, and it's a book I'd happily recommend to families with elementary-aged readers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a fun read! You feel as if you are at Aunt Edna’s farm with Belvin and all the animals. Belvin’s twin brother is going to camp, his Pops is going away, and mom wants to write a book. Belvin isn’t happy about going to aunt’s. What if there are alligators there? When he’s there she tells him the chores he will be helping her with, and then they can go swimming at a swimming hole. Again, Belvin worries about alligators. His aunt says we’re too far north for them. One day when two groups come to play with the goats and feed them, Belvin meets Ellie and she decides she wants to volunteer while her mom is busy teaching yoga. They get the idea to do goat yoga and his aunt is thrilled. The money will help her farm out. People love the goat yoga. Weeks later when Belvin’s mom calls she wants him to come home because everyone else is now home. He realizes he’s not ready to go home. Will he be allowed to stay?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
October 16, 2026
Well... if there's a blueprint as to how not to handle anxiety and trauma for nine-year-olds... it's this. Belvin will do anything other than address his feelings or the issues head-on because his twin does it for him. It's an interesting example of sibling co-dependence that resonates with me (as the anxious side of the anxiety/ADHD co-dependant sibling dynamic). It's interesting getting to watch Belvin come to realizations on his own about doing things for himself and making choices.
The climax forces him to face all of his fears all at once - apex predators, standing out, doing something by himself. While not, I think, a realistic and achievable way of dealing with anxiety, there's no denying it worked wonders. The last chapter where he's making his own choices and leading his brother around is a rapid but well done denouement to the novel. It's a short, readable title, with animals, lessons, and science. It's great.
The climax forces him to face all of his fears all at once - apex predators, standing out, doing something by himself. While not, I think, a realistic and achievable way of dealing with anxiety, there's no denying it worked wonders. The last chapter where he's making his own choices and leading his brother around is a rapid but well done denouement to the novel. It's a short, readable title, with animals, lessons, and science. It's great.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lovely, whimsical adventure on the farm🌄🐏🐊
This story is really fun and I can see a primary to young middle grade child loving the whimsy of Belvin's fears and obsessions, and the way he grows more independent, helpful and open to try new things during his summer vacation away from his twin on his aunt's small agritourism farm. This boy knows how to access the good part of the internet (his occasional use well controlled) to learn more about the creatures he encounters. And his fixation on apex predators does seem to prove useful!
I believe boys and girls will get a fun kick out of Belvin's story and the illustrations are just so darn cute😊
Thanks to Publisher Spotlight, Pajama Press and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
This story is really fun and I can see a primary to young middle grade child loving the whimsy of Belvin's fears and obsessions, and the way he grows more independent, helpful and open to try new things during his summer vacation away from his twin on his aunt's small agritourism farm. This boy knows how to access the good part of the internet (his occasional use well controlled) to learn more about the creatures he encounters. And his fixation on apex predators does seem to prove useful!
I believe boys and girls will get a fun kick out of Belvin's story and the illustrations are just so darn cute😊
Thanks to Publisher Spotlight, Pajama Press and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My daughter and I read What If There Are Alligators together, and we both really enjoyed it. We loved following Belvin's summer adventure on the goat farm as he stepped out of his twin brother's shadow, faced his fears, and discovered his own strengths. The story has a great mix of humor, adventure, and heart, and the goats and new friendships made it even more fun. It’s a wonderful middle grade read about growing up, building confidence, and learning that it’s okay to follow your own path.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher's Spotlight for the Arc!
So I read this in place of my preteen and thought that this was a cute story for children raging from 7-10. It's a story about facing fears and becoming your own person. I think it has a strong message that can create the conversation of being your own person.
So I read this in place of my preteen and thought that this was a cute story for children raging from 7-10. It's a story about facing fears and becoming your own person. I think it has a strong message that can create the conversation of being your own person.
August 21, 2026
3.5
What a cute wholesome read about a boy connecting with his aunt, learning about animals, and conquering his fears/anxieties! A great book to recommend for kids who like animals and farms! I could see students anywhere from Grades 2-5 enjoying this story!
What a cute wholesome read about a boy connecting with his aunt, learning about animals, and conquering his fears/anxieties! A great book to recommend for kids who like animals and farms! I could see students anywhere from Grades 2-5 enjoying this story!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews