See You Later, Alligator

PreS-Gr 2-Tortoise is ready to go on an adventure, and courtesy of an illustrated map before the title page, readers understand that this story likely takes place in a zoo or animal sanctuary of some kind. He bids his friends farewell, beginning with, "See you later, Alligator. I'll be a while, Crocodile." He continues with, "Toodle-oo, Kangaroo. I'll call you soon, Mr. Raccoon." And many more. In fact, Tortoise spends so long saying good-bye that he never makes it on his adventure. While the concept is cute and the end joke is spot-on, this book suffers from a dissatisfying rhyme scheme that is trying too hard. By the fifth good-bye, the rhymes seem completely forced, and nicknames begin to take precedence over the actual species names. In the end, Levey's illustrations are the real highlight. Children will likely stick through the story and enjoy pointing out various elements (like how the Rhinoceros is called a Unicorn), but it's not worth the read-aloud struggle. VERDICT The delightful illustrations are not enough to make this a must-purchase.-Shana Morales, Windsor Public Library, CT

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