A silly buddy story about Andy the alligator and his mammalian friend Preston plods somewhat aimlessly along through three chapters of gentle, simple adventures.
Andy and Preston are friends; Andy, the lime-green alligator, is the straight man, sober and easily annoyed, while Preston, a beige animal (whose species is never quite defined), is buoyantly enthusiastic and energetic. Their friendship plays off the combination of these archetypal traits as the duo meander about in their forest home looking for a rogue rabbit, learning about patience and identifying other animals’ sounds. Simple heavy lines, oversized panels and word balloons make this easy for young readers to follow. The slow-moving pace, though dotted with some bursts of humor, doesn’t quite do enough to propel the action, though. With most pages containing a single panel with fewer than a half-dozen words, this offering may help burgeoning readers gain confidence in finishing a book quickly; however with many other, similar series—such as the excellent Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems—this may be passed over for more recognizable and lively selections.
Eaton’s book covers well-trod ground and unfortunately pales in the shadows of more-established series. (Graphic early reader. 4-8)