"NO ALLIGATORS, blah blah blah..." That's the reaction of the town mayor after a boy frees a lonely alligator from a "twisty" vine and the two become fast friends. The quick-thinking boy, who lives just outside of town, next to a lake "big enough for one medium-sized whale," suggests the hungry alligator could be a great help to the town, taking care of everyone's leftovers. "NO ALLIGATORS, blah blah blah..." says the mayor. But the townspeople feel otherwise and bring the alligator their leftovers regardless. Everyone but the mayor is happy, while the mayor's search for the alligator is fruitless. But, the alligator is eating so much, and growing so big, that hiding him is getting to be a problem until the townspeople work together to come up with a whale of a solution. "The mayor never did find the alligator. And, curiously, no one could find the mayor." A hilarious, slightly subversive story pairs a smartly funny prose narrative full of wonderful language and wordplay with marvelous illustrations that mine every moment for humor. The boy is white, some townspeople brown-skinned. (Ages 4-8)

A humorous tale about acceptance, social justice and keeping an open mind. Though he’s scared at first, a boy who encounters an alligator in the woods discovers all the creature wants is companionship — and leftovers! — and the two become friends. But the mayor of the boy’s town won’t have it. He makes a proclamation, “NO ALLIGATORS! Blah, blah, blah.” Which the townspeople agree with, at first. Then they realize how friendly the alligator is (and how nice it is to have someone eat their leftovers!), and they want him to stay. Can they all come together and find a way to keep the alligator in their town? See you later, alligator? Not if these townspeople can help it!