Synopses & Reviews
"All you can do is be who you is."Suzanne Marie Sabine Chicot Thibodeaux (called Sue for short) lives on a houseboat deep in Louisianas Atchafalaya Swamp. One lazy summer afternoon when the air grows heavier than a catfish's bath towel, a hurricane swoops Sue up -- only to drop her like a hot patate into the swamp below. Sue finds herself nose-to-snout with a queen-sized, prickly-backed mama Alligator. Luckily, Mama Coco is no ordinary gator. She invites Sue into her family and teaches her all she knows. Sue tries hard to be an alligator; still, every once in a while, she recalls a wisp of a familiar song and begins to wonder: Who am I -- a Gator or a Girl?
How this spirited heroine claims her identity and her name -- Alligator Sue -- makes a funny, affecting, and wise tale, illustrated with irresistible joie de vivre.
Review
"Wilsdorf's loose black line and watercolor wash make the girl's acceptance into the reptilian family seem plausible. . .A triumphant tale of finding one's way in the world." --Starred,
Publisher's Weekly"Doucet's text is a storyteller's delight, full of fun and with a sassy new heroine. Wilsdorf's energetic illustrations are masterfully embedded throughout the text, blowing the story along like pleasurable windy microbursts. Laissez les bon temps roulez." --Kirkus Reviews
"Doucet's ear for the Louisiana Jingo gives the story bounce and imagery abounds. . .Children will love this 'rich as pecan pralines' tale of spunky Sue." --School Library Journal
About the Author
Sharon Arms Doucet is also the author of
Lapin Plays Possum, which
Kirkus Reviews called "a must-have for storytellers and storylovers alike" in a starred review. She lives in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Anne Wilsdorf is an illustrator whose previous books include Garrison Keillor's The Old Man Who Loved Cheese. She lives in Lausanne, Switzerland.