Snip Snap!: What's That?

by Mara Bergman (Author) Nick Maland (Illustrator)

Snip Snap!: What's That?
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
Perfectly paced, wonderfully illustrated, and completely memorable, this high-spirited picture book tells the story of three small children and the big green alligator that comes creeping up the front stairs. A Junior Library Guild Selection. Full color.
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Hardcover
$17.99

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Publishers Weekly

Bergman's ("Bears, Bears Everywhere!") shaggy-dog/ghost-story includes just enough repetition and courageous characters to help youngest story lovers overcome their fears. The tale begins, "When the alligator came "creeping"... "creeping"... "creeping" up the stairs... were the children scared?" The answer becomes a chorus-like refrain: ""You bet they were!"" As the dreaded reptile grows closer, the aurally delicious prose raises the stakes: "The alligator's tongue was flicking. The alligator's feet were kicking. Then the alligator's mouth opened up v-e-r-y wide, "creak"... "creak"... "creak"... as if to invite the children inside." The goofy gothic mood carries on in British artist Maland's florid, etching-like pictures and melodramatic characterizations; he mitigates the menacing critter's motives with a sunny palette that gives a strong hint that the children are not on the menu. The artist's wide-angle views of long hallways and cropped panel illustrations of reptile body parts pay cheeky homage to the creature feature: the alligator does not appear in full until the last few pages. (A wordless spread of the alligator's snout provides a fitting visual climax.) But this monster turns out to be all menace and no mayhem: when the children "decided they'd had enough of all this scary alligator stuff," they yell at the dragon-size beast and send him on his way. A great read-aloud and a good giggle. Ages 2-up. "(Apr.)" Copyright 2005 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2 -A wide-mouthed alligator slithers out of the sewer and slips down the street and up the stairs of an apartment house. The refrain sets the stage: -Were the children scared? YOU BET THEY WERE! - They try to stop the advancing reptile, but to no avail. Oversized fonts fill the pages with the -snip snapping - of its jaws. The watercolor-and-photocopied drawings show an aerial perspective of the siblings hiding behind a palm tree and underneath a piano. Suspense builds to a dramatic wordless close-up of the green beast's face. Finally, instead of cowering, the children decide -they'd had enough, - and shout, -ALLIGATOR, YOU GET OUT! - The surprised (and frightened) intruder stumbles away and tumbles back down a manhole. Children will enjoy the onomatopoeic devices, and brave voices will chime in on this slightly scary read-aloud. - "Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada" Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780060777548
Lexile Measure
490
Guided Reading Level
I
Publisher
Greenwillow Books
Publication date
April 20, 2005
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV002010 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Alligators & Crocodiles
Library of Congress categories
Brothers and sisters
Fear
Alligators
Parents Choice Award (Spring) (1998-2007)
Winner 2005 - 2005
Texas 2x2 Reading List
Recommended 2006 - 2006
North Carolina Children's Book Award
Nominee 2007 - 2007
Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens
Recommended 2006 - 2006

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