Trosclair loves the Louisiana swamp so much that he ignores his father’s warnings about Gargantua, the rogue alligator that lives there. “ 'That alligator eat you and Ollie so fast,’ Père said, 'he won’t even stop to burp.’ ” With his dog Ollie, Trosclair paddles his pirogue through the swamp, spending a day hunting for turtle eggs, finding a beehive, and climbing trees. It’s while Trosclair and Ollie are perched high in a tree that Gargantua shows up. The alligator offers to let Trosclair escape if the boy agrees to toss Ollie down instead. But when he spots a beehive hanging nearby, clever Trosclair outsmarts the alligator at his own game. Lively French Louisiana dialect lends a distinctive voice to this satisfying tale, while the mixed-media illustrations provide a deliciously swampy backdrop. (Ages 4–7)

In his rowboat, Trosclair and his dog Ollie can get just about anywhere on the Louisiana Bayou where the live, even to Bee Island Swamp, the very best place to find turtle eggs. But Trosclair has been warned not to go there because Gargantua, a huge and ferocious alligator, has already eaten his share of large animals, and is bound to try humans next. Sure enough, Gargantua comes along and Trosclair must think quickly how to save himself and Ollie. Using his wits and a hive of bees, Trosclair rids the swamp of Gargantua forever. With its charming Louisiana dialect and lively story of brains over brawn, this is a book adults will enjoy as much as children.