School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-When Mrs. Iraina's ballet class gets an unexpected newcomer-an alligator-the diverse cast of students are surprised but decide to welcome her. They begin to affectionately refer to her as Tanya, after a famous ballerina, but her large tail quickly becomes a problem during practice. Together the students come up with a brand-new dance that showcases Tanya and her wild tail. The dance is a huge success at the recital, and Tanya happily returns to the wild, where she continues to dance with her animal friends. The illustrations are stylized and quirky, and the plot is engaging, with jokes that adults will appreciate peppered throughout. The narrative conveys the story's message of inclusion in a subtle manner, but the book's title makes this important theme abundantly clear. VERDICT A fun read-aloud and a welcome addition to medium and large collections, best shared one-on-one or in a small group setting.-Candyce Pruitt-Goddard, Sno-Isle Libraries, Marysville, WA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Ballet classes and recitals are not just for children and swans.The new student in a ballet class is different in a big way. She is an alligator who does not speak ballet or even English, but she is willing to work hard. Named Tanya, she soon gets into the swing of things, but there is one big problem: her tail. The class is a little reluctant to mention this because alligators are big and they do not speak English or ballet. The teacher has the perfect solution, a new dance called "The Legend of the Swamp Queen," featuring the alligator with her tail neatly tied back, and it is a great success. Tanya does not return to the studio after the recital, but the class receives an invitation to a special performance held by the water and featuring lovely dancing alligators and other local creatures. Zuill's story is filled with humor, and the illustrations feature a diverse group of children who are not stick-thin. They and the big green swamp creature, all comically drawn, stand out against a white background. Tanya, costumed in red toe shoes, a red ribbon for her tail, and a gold crown, is indeed a graceful vision to behold. Zuill ably proves that anyone can be a dancer, even if she is big, toothy, tailed, and green. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
The students in Mrs. Iraina's dance class are surprised to be joined by an unexpected visitor. They invite her to stay, because who would be brave enough to tell a 450-pound alligator she couldn't? In this sweet, humorous story about acceptance, Mrs. Iraina and the class display common sense, quick thinking, and good humor. They get a supply of Alligator Chow to prevent any inappropriate snacking and devise special choreography to showcase their new friend's talents. The class, three girls and a boy, delight in dressing as a duck, a turtle, a frog, and a raccoon for their production of an original ballet, The Legend of the Swamp Queen. The alligator disappears as suddenly as she arrived, but weeks later a special map is delivered, with an invitation for the class to attend a dance performance put on by . . . an actual duck, turtle, frog, raccoon, and a whole alligator family! Bright cartoon-style illustrations, detailed with black outlines and complete with comically expressive faces and gestures, perfectly suit the humorous premise.--Whitehurst, Lucinda Copyright 2017 Booklist
