Mama Don't Allow

 By Thacher Hurd

This is a pretty good story that my two year old could follow with a little bit of translation.  The alligators threaten to eat the main characters in the middle of the book, which might be a bit scary (I don't think she really understood that part at first) but they don't get away with it.  This book hasn't resulted in any nightmares.

 My husband hates this book because the story is written in typed letters on some pages and in speech bubbles on other pages.  I don't mind, personally.  I kind of like it.  He also hates the art, but I think it's got some great colours.  I like the story a lot, too.

On the last page there are lyrics and notation for the song "Mama Don't Allow", just in case the reader is unfamiliar with the song.  They don't have notation, however, for another song that features in the story: "The Lullaby of Swampland".  I find that annoying.  Particularly because the phrasing is uneven, so it's hard to make up a melody for it that works.  But I do what I can, because I'm a mama and that's my job.