Author: Norm Feuti
Illustrator: Norm Feuti
© Date: 2021
Publisher: HarperAlley
Pages: 62
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: Yes, graphic novel
Publisher Recommended Age: 6-10 years
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: A fun and funny buddy comedy about finding friendship in unexpected places!
Ally the alligator is perfectly happy being alone…until one day a noisy bird named Beak lands on her snout! Beak thinks Ally is lonely and needs a friend. He has all sorts of friendship goals in mind, like riding bikes together, going to the movies together, and even solving mysteries together! But when a Long-Billed Party Pooper crashes Beak’s nest-warming party, Ally decides to show Beak something important to her: sticking up for what’s right.
Nothing beats peace and quiet-except for a new best friend!
Note: This review is done from memory. I originally read this awhile ago.
Page Pig Thoughts: This one was a sweet story about unexpected new friends. Beak moved to the swamp hoping to find a new friend with a sense of humor. Ally the alligator is not sure that she really needs a friend, and does not see how birds and alligators can be friends. Ally had warmed up enough to Beak to stand up to the interloper interfering with Beak’s nest warming party. That act cements their best friend status.
I enjoyed the sweet story more than Page Pup apparently. Page Pup was only meh on this one because there is not much action. That being said, Page Pup was still excited when we found another one at the library.
Family Unit: Ally lived alone in the swamp. Beak had a neighbor in his previous tree that moved away. Now Beak and Ally are neighbors.
Conflict/Social Issues:
- Ally is not so sure about being friends with Beak, but Beak is confident that he should be best friends with Ally.
- The Long-Billed Party Pooper bird takes over Beak’s nest on the day of the nest warming party.
Positive Items:
- Ally stands up for Beak, even if she was still unsure about being friends.
Items of Interest:
- Beak shares the last of his traveling donuts with Ally.
- Beak tried telling jokes everyday to his previous nest neighbor. The neighbor did not like the jokes and asked Beak to stop. When Beak kept telling the jokes, the bird mysteriously moved away.
- Ally is not so sure about Beak singing all the time.
- Beak says alligators having a life purpose of swimming, eating, and being alone is super sad.
- Long-Billed Party Poopers wait for a smaller bird to build a nest, then kick them out.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- Book 2 – Beak & Ally: Bedtime Jokes
- Book 3 – Beak & Ally: The Big Storm
- Book 4 – Beak & Ally: Snow Birds — Still super sweet and nice thoughts about traits of good, true friends. Ally helps Beak stand up for himself with the snow birds who are keeping Beak up with their partying. Ally helps Beak understand that true friends are respectful and don’t take advantage of you.