  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 04/01/2016 *Starred Review* A carefree brown boy with a toy plays underneath a eucalyptus tree, catching the eye of a magnificent yellow snake hidden in the branches above. Opening his great jaw, the snake gobbles up the boy whole! From inside, the boy encourages the snake, “there’s more you can eat.” What’s the boy thinking? With each prompt, the gluttonous snake, with his googly eyes and silly grin, sneaky-slidey zips and devours a bird with a worm, a moss-clothed sloth, an ape eating grapes, and more. His stomach stretches as the multitude tosses and turns, their bright white eyes popping inside his belly dark and deep. Onomatopoeia and action words abound, as does the rhythm and repetition, making this cumulative tale skip along. The rainbow eucalyptus tree, its leaves, and the fanciful mix of critters are depicted in marvelously colorful digital illustrations. They appear in dramatic, shifting planes as the snake zips and wiggle-waggles toward each animal in succession, gobbling them up. When will the snake be sated? Even swollen and tongue lolling, when urged by the boy, the snake cannot resist a small piece of fruit topped by a teeny-tiny fly. Oh my! “Gurgle-gurgle came a blurble,” and with a gigantic “BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” the snake expels them all! Whew! The boy happily closes his eyes underneath the tree . . . but is that a crocodile watching him? Children will eat this up. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
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