The Children’s Book Review | June 5, 2019
Chomp Goes The Alligator
Written and Illustrated by Matthew Van Fleet
Age Range: 2 and up
Hardcover: 26 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (September 4, 2018)
ISBN: 978-1534426771
What to Expect: Alligators, Chomps, and Multi-Texture Animated Adventure
The design of this book is phenomenal. It wouldn’t be exactly accurate to call it a pop-up book, nor is it simply a pull-tab book…so what is it?
Well, it’s a lot of things, but mainly it’s a lot of fun.
The cover of the book features a view window through which we see a (moveable) alligator’s head as well as a large bite taken out of the side by, we assume, that possibly-smiling alligator.
Inside we learn of “One shiny, blue fish swimming in the swamp,” quickly followed by, “Along came the alligator…chomp, chomp, chomp!”
Now the fun starts, for on the side of the book is a tab that children (or adults!) can pull, making the alligator’s head chomp, chomp, chomp in time with the narrative.
We learn and count and laugh as the alligator chomps its way through the swamp.
Chomp, chomp, chomp!
The interactive chomping does a great job of animating the story and also builds the kind of fun, improvised action that reading time at this age really thrives on: Adults can be playful, scary, or silly and kids will happily laugh through it all.
Adding to the immersive nature of this wonderful book are the touchable features: fuzzy cattails and otters, fluffy cranes, leathery beaver tails, bushy foxes, and even sticky frog tongues can all be touched … leading to more laughter and excitement. In addition, the various tactile sensations offer excellent engagement and variegated experiences for young readers: It’s a win, win, win.
As if all that weren’t enough, while learning about swamp ecosystems the book also teaches counting, working its way all the way up to ten. A full-page pop up appears on the final pages, recounting the adventure in colorful, numerical splendor.
A great, fun, tactile, jam-packed, immersive adventure for all!
Available Here:
About the Author-Illustrator
Matthew Van Fleet’s innovative books have been introducing children to basic concepts for more than twenty years. His uniquely designed board books invite toddlers to touch, press, pull, lift, and even sniff as they explore colors, shapes, numbers, letters, opposites, and more. His New York Times bestselling titles include Cat, Heads, Alphabet, and Moo, as well as the #1 New York Times bestsellers Tails and Dog. His books have sold more than eight million copies and have been translated around the world. He lives with his family in New York. Visit him online at VanFleetBooks.com.
Chomp Goes The Alligator, by Matthew Van Fleet, was reviewed by Trevor Jockims. Discover more books like Chomp Goes The Alligator by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Alligator Books, Board Book, Counting, Lift-The-Flap Books, Matthew Van Fleet, and Preschool Primers.
