Alligators, Alligators: A Playful Picture Book About Music, Love, and Nature in the Swamp for Kids

by Eve Bunting, Diane Ewen (Illustrator)

From beloved picture book author Eve Bunting, a playful story set in a magical swamp about overcoming greed with the power of love, nature, and music.

On the sunny river dock, people pack onto the big tourist boat, waiting for their chance to see the alligators. What they don’t know is that down in the swamp, the alligators are waiting for them too!

Jim and his dad run this tour, and Jim has a special talent to share with the people and creatures of the swamp alike. Animals flock to him to hear his flute-playing—it even makes the alligators dance! His music is so remarkable that a greedy passenger decides he must have Jim's flute. Will one person’s selfishness ruin the magic of the swamp for everyone?

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Music, Childrens, Fantasy, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 22, 2023

About the author

Also known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.

Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.

Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.

In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.

Reviews

[Tianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the read we expected

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a little infuriating. The plot was cute and the alligators were sort of fun. There was one page of illustrations that I thought was great and very kid-friendly. But this book would be so frustrating to read aloud, because two of the stanzas don't actually rhyme? Trying to match swamp with damp and lain with again. The illustrations are cute in places, but do look very digitally rendered and aren't enough to make up for the lack of readable text!

I was hoping this would be a fun storytime book to share, but it looks like it's a no from me.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find out how Jim has a special relationship in this picture book by the writes-across genres author Eve Bunting (Passing away in the fall of 2023, she was the author of over 100 books ). If you're looking for a fun picture book about alligators, set in the bayou, or how animals can sense a person's feelings; this is it.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorful illustrations showing a boy and his father taking tourists on a boat to see the alligators in the swamp. The boy plays his flute and that attracts the alligators to come out. But when they return to the dock with the tourists a man steals the flute and an alligator returns it to the boy. The alligators love the music and other wild animals follow him home.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars--This is a fun, colorful book with a (not overbearing) ecological message. A child's love of nature and the flute gives his a special rapport with wildlife, who flock to him and dance delightedly to his music. But what happens when a greedy villain steals the flute, in the hopes that he can capture the wild animals to sell?

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children's Picture Books
Published in 2023

Jim and his father run an alligator airboat tour in the swamp and Jim has a special musical talent that makes the alligators dance! But a greedy passenger wants Jim's flute for himself!

Rhyming text and fun illustrations made this a great read!

[Kelly]

I thought this book was pretty dumb. The story wasn't bad, but the rhyming scheme was all over the place and started right off trying to rhyme swamp and damp. The illustrations seemed very computer done, too, not in a skilled way.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually I love Eve Bunting's stories. This one left me a bit disappointed. The rhyming was off, and the story was only OK. But children will probably enjoy the triumph of the boy and the alligators over the mean thief.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love and nature wins out over greed.

[Steph]

Turn/Level: 1/3

Alligators, Zoo Animals, Flute, Music, Dancing

Wonderful rhyming text about the power of love and music. Longer.

[Lindsay Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

It lost me when we tried to rhyme "swamp" with "damp". Like, did AI write this? Or...

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

An elementary and up picture book about a boy's musical talent taming the alligators around him and others wanting to steal that talent.

[Connie T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected so much more from Eve Bunting.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun idea about a child who can make animals dance with his flute - and it reads a little bit like an old folktale.
It rhymes, although probably would have been just as interesting if it didn’t.

[Andrés · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story and illustrations just ok.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute pictures, but clunky rhyming and a completely silly story.

[Dale Barlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

(E) 10.21.2023: this prolific children's author, whom the NY Times advises "tackled adult themes in children’s books", just died at the age of 94; this is one of her last published books...; 10.30.2023: while a father runs a tourist boat, his young son plays the flute much to the amazement and reported enjoyment of all the wild animals, including alligators. The flute is stolen and then the story unfolds depicting the power of love and music; the artwork covers a wide range of colorful to dreary, as the story demands; 2023 hardcover via Madison County Public Library, Berea, 32 pgs

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Down in the swampland there is a boat tour that features a young lad named Jim who plays his flute, and sways the alligators to do their dance, and writhing to his music. The attempted theft of Jim's flute for greed and nefarious use is thwarted by an unlikely source.