Review by Booklist Review
Ages 4-7. Christelow's engaging young alligator Jerome returns, this time on his way to a camping trip with his classmates. But the cloud hanging over their heads is Buster, the class bully. And sure enough, almost as soon as the tents go up, Buster is back to his old tricks, even going so far as to put Jerome's and his friend P.J.'s clothes in a tree. Finally, Jerome is ready to fight back. He and P.J., along with one of the girls, Gloria, decide to trick Buster into thinking that a lake monster is roaming around the campsite. Buster folds, but it is only on the way home that the boys learn Gloria was too busy to help them after all. The last spread shows a purple monster gleefully dancing around the lake. The simple text is bolstered by Christelow's funny pen-and-watercolor artwork, which adds a droll note to the proceedings. For larger collections or where the previous book about Jerome is popular. (Reviewed April 15, 1998)0395758319Ilene Cooper
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2ÄThe appealing alligator from Jerome the Babysitter (Clarion, 1987) is back in a new adventure. Now, he is looking forward to a school camping trip that has only one snagÄhe and his friend P.J. will have to share a tent with the class bully. The two friends try to keep out of Buster's way, but they end up bearing the brunt of his jokes. Finally, they devise a plan to scare the terrorizer by getting a fellow camper to pretend to be a monster and Buster mends his ways. A final twist comes at the end when Jerome and P.J. find out that their "fake" monster was real. Christelow hits home with a theme to which every child can relate. The antics of the alligators add just the right touch of light humor to the serious problem of bullying. The repetition of the phrase "I'm worried," uttered by P.J. throughout the book, gives a pleasant continuity to the text, especially at the end when the tables are turned and he confidently states, "I'm not worried." Colorful pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations extend the text as they capture all of the tricks and fearful expressions. A delightful picture book.ÄAnne Knickerbocker, formerly at Cedar Brook Elementary School, Houston, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
When alligators Jerome and P.J. go on their class camping trip, they have to share a tent with Buster, the bully. After a disastrous first day, they finally hatch a plan to get back at Buster, and they enlist the aid of their friend, Gloria, who does wonderful monster imitations. The ink and watercolor illustrations add humor to the somewhat unsuspenseful story From HORN BOOK Fall 1998, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
