I wonder what those alligators will do next? Let’s see!
That’s the sequence that leads readers through Alligators All Around: An Alphabet (1962)
This is another book from the Nutshell Library, of books illustrated by Maurice Sendak that aren’t Where the Wild Things Are. These books are unified by size, by the design stamped on the books’ back covers, by cover design, and, of course, by being written and illustrated by Sendak.
The books range in focus. Pierre is a story (with a more overt moral than most Sendak). One Was Johnny is a counting book. Chicken Soup With Rice walks through the months, and this book is, as the subtitle indicates, an alphabet book.
Sendak gives brief phrases (two to three words) where all the words start with the same letter, like “alligators all around” and “doing dishes.” The images are simple (for Sendak), gentle domestic cartoons of an alligator family doing the things described. So, the E page reads “Entertaining elephants” and shows a host alligator serving nuts to a seated elephant (with a handbag).
Sendak does cheat a little with X, showing an alligator “x-ing x’s” but otherwise, this is a good solid alphabet book that should engage kids (and adults with the fun terms and the lovely Sendak drawings.
