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The Lady with the Alligator Purse
Children's Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman's bestselling Sing-Along Stories are perfect for reading together, with over one million copies sold in all formats.
You know the song, but you've never heard it like this! A familiar melody with uproariously funny new lyrics are presented alongside bright, zany illustrations in this picture book that includes music, stories, and games. These outrageous rhymes will appeal to reluctant readers, eager readers, silly readers, and the whole family together!
You know the song, but you've never heard it like this! A familiar melody with uproariously funny new lyrics are presented alongside bright, zany illustrations in this picture book that includes music, stories, and games. These outrageous rhymes will appeal to reluctant readers, eager readers, silly readers, and the whole family together!
24 pages, Board Book
Published April 1, 1998
8 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
About the author
Mary Ann Hoberman
77 books94 followersMary Ann Hoberman was an American author of over 30 children's books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
September 17, 2015
This illustrated version of the fun song includes the melody. (If you're like me and can't read music, follow this link to hear it sung: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUvfuS... ).
This story is fun to share in a library story time setting, especially if you throw in a few actions. For instance, when we sang "He tried to eat the bathtub but it wouldn't go down his throat", we stopped and mimed blowing a bubble (putting both hands up to mouth as if they were the bubble). We added a refrain here: "Bubble, bubble, bubble, Bubble bubble bubble, Bubble bubble bubble, Bubble, bubble POP!" With each three "bubbles" we put our hands further apart and on "POP" clapped them together.
There's a double page spread with no text picturing them eating pizza, so we added another verse about pizza: "Pepperoni pizza, Sausage pizza too, Vegetarian pizza, eat it through & through!"
This story is fun to share in a library story time setting, especially if you throw in a few actions. For instance, when we sang "He tried to eat the bathtub but it wouldn't go down his throat", we stopped and mimed blowing a bubble (putting both hands up to mouth as if they were the bubble). We added a refrain here: "Bubble, bubble, bubble, Bubble bubble bubble, Bubble bubble bubble, Bubble, bubble POP!" With each three "bubbles" we put our hands further apart and on "POP" clapped them together.
There's a double page spread with no text picturing them eating pizza, so we added another verse about pizza: "Pepperoni pizza, Sausage pizza too, Vegetarian pizza, eat it through & through!"
December 5, 2018
Silly story and fun pictures.
November 23, 2013
The Lady with the Alligator Purse by Nadine Bernard Westcott is a goofy little poem for children in the nursery age group. It is about a young boy, Tiny Tim, who has a peculiar and never ending appetite. His mother proceeds to call the doctor, the nurse, and the lady with the alligator purse! In the end, the lady with the alligator purse suggests that Tiny Tim needs pizza to cure him. This is a pretty short book and is a great pick for new readers. The repetition and simplicity makes it easy for a younger child to sound out words and notice the familiarities. The illustrations look like a mix of watercolor and ink and are very nicely detailed. A lot going on on each page, so it is fun for children to scan each page and look at all of the little specialties. As an Elementary and Special Education major, I would use this book in a kindergarten class. I think it would be a good tool for teaching reading, writing, and rhyming. The language is basic and clean cut, so it is easy for children to pay attention and stay engaged with. It’s a fun little book that is sure to bring a lot of giggles and joy.
November 16, 2019
I adore this story. The rhymes were spot on and it makes kids laugh. However, this story lack a plot that has substance.
March 6, 2022
I LOVED this book as a child. The rhyming was spot on, “In came the doctor, in came the nurse, in came the lady with the alligator purse”. The plot was kinda lacking, I’m not gonna lie, but when you’re 4 you really don’t care about that stuff.
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December 21, 2025Adding this to the “completely forgot about this for the last 18 years until it randomly popped back into my head” list
June 28, 2014
This is a fun board that features goofy humor and a great rhyme. The story is about a baby who is given a bath. Baby drinks all the water and even tries to swallow the tub. This makes mom frantic and she calls a doctor, a nurse, and the lady with the alligator purse.
The doctor and nurse have their own ideas of what needs to be done, but the lady with the purse suggests pizza. Which gets my vote.
Makes for a great read-aloud. This is a fun little story to share.
--doctor's office copy
The doctor and nurse have their own ideas of what needs to be done, but the lady with the purse suggests pizza. Which gets my vote.
Makes for a great read-aloud. This is a fun little story to share.
--doctor's office copy
July 1, 2012
This is a silly book that is associated with a silly song. It is great tool to use to build up vocabulary in young readers.
February 7, 2025
Ain't a problem that pizza can't solve.
November 4, 2019
This book has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. This is a childhood memory book that my sister and I memorized and would say all the time. The fun illustrations are what attracted me the book! Also the title in itself is an attraction! You want to know why the lady had an alligator purse and what she will do with it! Rhyming makes this book so easy to remember and read! A book I still have and want my children to read.
I also want my future students to experience it too! This book would be used in Kindergarten or First grade because of the much lower level! However, it teaches very good rhyming skills. This would a good book to read aloud to children everyday. Then let them memorize when you read aloud everyday and get them to get to the spot where they don’t need the book anymore! Once they have it down, you can give them a treat from the Lady with the alligator purse of medicine of pizza. This an opportunity for a reward with a great movie! You can bring in new rhymes and get the students to pick out the rhymes from this purpose. Then a teacher could introduce repetition with how each page uses this skill!
I also want my future students to experience it too! This book would be used in Kindergarten or First grade because of the much lower level! However, it teaches very good rhyming skills. This would a good book to read aloud to children everyday. Then let them memorize when you read aloud everyday and get them to get to the spot where they don’t need the book anymore! Once they have it down, you can give them a treat from the Lady with the alligator purse of medicine of pizza. This an opportunity for a reward with a great movie! You can bring in new rhymes and get the students to pick out the rhymes from this purpose. Then a teacher could introduce repetition with how each page uses this skill!
February 23, 2020
The Lady With the Alligator Purse is about a young boy whose mother decided to give him a bath. While in the bath, the little boy drinks all the bath water and eats the soap that is around him. The mother started panicking and she called the doctor, nurse and the lady with the alligator purse. The doctor and nurse try to find out what is wrong with the boy, but the lady with the alligator purse gives him pizza and he gets better.
For this book you could say that the theme is that you should not judge others. The doctor and nurse did not think the lady with the alligator pure could help the boy, but she was the one who made him feel better.
When I first read this book I loved it. It is a very fun and light hearted story that has a happy ending which is always nice. In addition, there is a lot of rhyming in the book that makes it fun to read.
I would recommend this book to someone that is starting to get more comfortable with reading since it is an easy read and not hard to understand. I would also recommend this book to someone who is learning about rhyming because there is a lot of rhyming throughout the book.
For this book you could say that the theme is that you should not judge others. The doctor and nurse did not think the lady with the alligator pure could help the boy, but she was the one who made him feel better.
When I first read this book I loved it. It is a very fun and light hearted story that has a happy ending which is always nice. In addition, there is a lot of rhyming in the book that makes it fun to read.
I would recommend this book to someone that is starting to get more comfortable with reading since it is an easy read and not hard to understand. I would also recommend this book to someone who is learning about rhyming because there is a lot of rhyming throughout the book.
October 29, 2018
1. Awards: None
2. Level: Pre-k-2nd grade
3. Summary: This book has a fun rhyming story line with a catchy melody. The Lady with the Alligator Purse is a short childrens book about a boy who has a never ending appetite. While taking a bath, he got so hungry that he ate the bar of soap! His mother was very worried. She called everyone she could think of. Read more to find out how the boy is cured!
4. Review: I thought this book had many great illustrations which added to the story. The use of repetition helps kids learn the rhythm to the song as well as increase their memory. I would use this as a read aloud book in a kindergarten classroom.
5. Lessons: I would use these lessons to supplement reading The Lady with the Alligator Purse. Students can make an alligator and do a lesson about alligator/reptile facts. Students can use this book as an introduction to character identification. Using the book, they can make a list of what each character looks like, and what they do throughout the story.
2. Level: Pre-k-2nd grade
3. Summary: This book has a fun rhyming story line with a catchy melody. The Lady with the Alligator Purse is a short childrens book about a boy who has a never ending appetite. While taking a bath, he got so hungry that he ate the bar of soap! His mother was very worried. She called everyone she could think of. Read more to find out how the boy is cured!
4. Review: I thought this book had many great illustrations which added to the story. The use of repetition helps kids learn the rhythm to the song as well as increase their memory. I would use this as a read aloud book in a kindergarten classroom.
5. Lessons: I would use these lessons to supplement reading The Lady with the Alligator Purse. Students can make an alligator and do a lesson about alligator/reptile facts. Students can use this book as an introduction to character identification. Using the book, they can make a list of what each character looks like, and what they do throughout the story.
October 11, 2017
Awards the book has received (if any): None
Appropriate grade level(s): 1st grade- 3rd grade
Original 3-line summary: A mother gave her baby a bath and he ate all of the soap and water! She immediately called the doctor, the nurse and a sweet lady with an alligator purse. She fed the baby boy pizza, and it made him feel much better.
Original 3-line review: This songbook would be a fun addition to a classroom. It is silly, and enjoyable for children to actively sing. With the simple repetitive pattern, this songbook has the potential to be a big hit in a classroom.
2-3 possible in-class uses: This songbook uses rhymes, so it can be helpful in a lesson with rhyming. Additionally, young children may enjoy writing responses as to what they would have liked to make them feel better instead of pizza, which can be made into a class book. This songbook can also be used on a lesson about fiction and how we s writers have the option to make some very interesting stories.
Appropriate grade level(s): 1st grade- 3rd grade
Original 3-line summary: A mother gave her baby a bath and he ate all of the soap and water! She immediately called the doctor, the nurse and a sweet lady with an alligator purse. She fed the baby boy pizza, and it made him feel much better.
Original 3-line review: This songbook would be a fun addition to a classroom. It is silly, and enjoyable for children to actively sing. With the simple repetitive pattern, this songbook has the potential to be a big hit in a classroom.
2-3 possible in-class uses: This songbook uses rhymes, so it can be helpful in a lesson with rhyming. Additionally, young children may enjoy writing responses as to what they would have liked to make them feel better instead of pizza, which can be made into a class book. This songbook can also be used on a lesson about fiction and how we s writers have the option to make some very interesting stories.
November 19, 2019
The Lady with the Alligator Purse is a children’s picture book written for primarily preschool-aged audiences. The book is a nursery rhyme that can be sung along to as it’s read. The main story is a humorous one, a young boy named Tiny Tim is in the bathtub and he swallows all the water and soap and even tries to swallow the bathtub itself, but it won’t fit. So, Miss Lucy (Tiny Tim’s mom) calls the doctor, calls the nurse, and calls the lady with the alligator purse. It is the lady with the alligator purse that is able to correctly diagnose Tiny Tim with the hiccups. This book is a simple and easy read for young children. Because of its rhyming and song-like structure, children may be especially drawn to the story. I would recommend this book to early childhood educators as well as parents of preschool aged children. I think it makes a great addition to any classroom or at-home library.
April 19, 2018
1. This book has not won any awards.
2. Pre-K - 3rd Grade
3. Tiny Tim was given a bath by his mother and he was so hungry he drank all the water, and ate the soap. A doctor, a nurse, and a woman with an Alligator purse came to try to help the mother figure out what was wrong with her child. The lady with the alligator purse reassured the mother that he was just being a kid and all he actually needed was pizza!
4. This is a cute book! I could see myself reading this book because it is very silly and I think students would really enjoy it.
5. I would use this book as apart of an Author/Illustrator Recognition Series in my classroom. I have recognized a number of books that are Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott and I think that she has a very unique style of art that children would enjoy.
2. Pre-K - 3rd Grade
3. Tiny Tim was given a bath by his mother and he was so hungry he drank all the water, and ate the soap. A doctor, a nurse, and a woman with an Alligator purse came to try to help the mother figure out what was wrong with her child. The lady with the alligator purse reassured the mother that he was just being a kid and all he actually needed was pizza!
4. This is a cute book! I could see myself reading this book because it is very silly and I think students would really enjoy it.
5. I would use this book as apart of an Author/Illustrator Recognition Series in my classroom. I have recognized a number of books that are Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott and I think that she has a very unique style of art that children would enjoy.
November 15, 2019
Sing along books are one of my favorite types to children’s books. These books like the Lady with the Alligator Purse are especially great for young children who are just starting to learn how to read because the songs are so catchy that kids will memorize the songs and sing along to them. This can help kids recognize words that they are singing written in the book. This story is about a lady whose son drank up his bath, ate all the soap, and even tried to eat the bathtub. So, she calls the doctor, the nurse and the lady with the alligator purse to try and help her baby. The story is filled with funny rhymes that are so catchy you will never forget them. Still to this day I have the song memorized from when I read the book as a young kid. The goofy and colorful illustrations are also super fun to look at and help tell the story.
June 29, 2020
The rhyme scheme of ABAB is very fun to listen to and to read aloud. Children who are exposed to rhyming early tend to latch on to other linguistic functions and reading abilities as well. This book is essential for your preschooler - early elementary school. The illustrations are very busy with pen and watercolor packed household objects so I think toddlers who are easily sensory-overloaded may not be engaged with the pictures but may enjoy the rhyme scheme. My mother read this to me before I could read and yet as I read it as an adult, I noticed it sounds second-nature to hear out loud. It is a light-hearted, quick humorous tale that would be a good first book before a more slow-paced book before bed. Its exaggerated illustration will probably make you and your child chuckle when you point out how “silly” it is for a baby to try to eat a bathtub.
November 17, 2023
Alligator, Baby, Doctor
This story tells a story of a lady who has a baby named Tiny Tim. Tiny Tim drank up his bath and even tries to eat the bathtub. The lady calls the doctor and eventually the nurse and soon the lady with the alligator purse. The story is a book filled with rhymes that are easy for students to follow along in a read aloud.
This book is a great example of a book to use during a reading lesson. The TEK that can be used is :
(2) Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking beginning reading and writing. The student develops word structure knowledge through phonological awareness, print concepts, phonics, and morphology to communicate, decode, and spell. The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate phonological awareness by:
(i) identifying and producing rhyming words
This story tells a story of a lady who has a baby named Tiny Tim. Tiny Tim drank up his bath and even tries to eat the bathtub. The lady calls the doctor and eventually the nurse and soon the lady with the alligator purse. The story is a book filled with rhymes that are easy for students to follow along in a read aloud.
This book is a great example of a book to use during a reading lesson. The TEK that can be used is :
(2) Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking beginning reading and writing. The student develops word structure knowledge through phonological awareness, print concepts, phonics, and morphology to communicate, decode, and spell. The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate phonological awareness by:
(i) identifying and producing rhyming words
February 18, 2021
Genre: Traditional Literature
Grade Level: PreK-1st
This is a cute song book. My early preschool kiddos get a kick out of the story/song and they especially love the silly illustrations. This book is a great example of rhyming words and would be a fun model text. I can think of many ways to incorporate students own writing and poetry with this book. This isn't the kind of book that is full of factual content or a deeper message, it is simply a lot of fun to read. It is quite a catchy book and after reading it a few times it definitely gets stuck in your head! This would be a fun read aloud and it has a lot of repeating phrases that would be great for early readers to try and read on their own.
Grade Level: PreK-1st
This is a cute song book. My early preschool kiddos get a kick out of the story/song and they especially love the silly illustrations. This book is a great example of rhyming words and would be a fun model text. I can think of many ways to incorporate students own writing and poetry with this book. This isn't the kind of book that is full of factual content or a deeper message, it is simply a lot of fun to read. It is quite a catchy book and after reading it a few times it definitely gets stuck in your head! This would be a fun read aloud and it has a lot of repeating phrases that would be great for early readers to try and read on their own.
August 6, 2018
The classic song is illustrated in this paperback book. The book also includes the melody if you are unfamiliar with the tune.
2018 storytime theme: Libraries Rock - water
Reviewed from a library copy.
2018 storytime theme: Libraries Rock - water
Reviewed from a library copy.
November 13, 2018
Any book I can sing is usually a winner. Both of my kids also enjoy the humor in this text. The pages turn pretty quickly and hold their attention all the way through. So many opportunities for wild voices and shouts...my favorite!
October 6, 2019
This was a family favorite when my kids were young. The author is my husband’s cousin and she’s so good with her silly illustrations! I just got a new copy of this and will be sharing it in Music & Movement Storytime this week.
October 26, 2019
My 13 month old loves this book . . . She picks it out of her hundreds of other books (we are big into reading), hands me the book, plops into my lap and turns the pages while we “read” it together.
April 27, 2023
Key Words: Silly, funny, and attention-grabbing for kiddos
Summary: as the title says the Lady with the Alligator Purse, that's what the story was about. A little lady attending to a little sick kiddo.
Summary: as the title says the Lady with the Alligator Purse, that's what the story was about. A little lady attending to a little sick kiddo.
May 16, 2017
Simple, silly story about how Tiny Tim gets cured from eating everything by a doctor, a nurse and the lady with the alligator purse.
August 31, 2017
Great for kids. Good illustrations and a funny story. The story is a schoolyard song often sung while jumping rope or with hand clapping games.
November 20, 2017
Silly and fun rhyme.
November 21, 2017
nostalgic. How can you not love this book? Reminds me of my childhood Days and now I get to share with my little one.
December 1, 2017
I would suggest this book for ages 3-8. This book is about how an interesting visitor helps a young child feel better. It has themes of humor, light-heartedness, and rhyme.
July 23, 2018
Berry is obsessively in love with this one! The song has invaded our regular bedtime repertoire and I don't see it leaving anytime soon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews