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Gwendolyn Grace: A Funny, Dramatic Picture Book About an Alligator Sister and Her New Baby for Kids
The picture book debut by Katherine Hannigan, the award-winning, bestselling author of Ida B , introduces the effervescent Gwendolyn Grace, an alligator with a new sibling and only one thing on her mind—having fun! Pitch-perfect and a great choice for fans of Pete the Cat and the Pigeon books by Mo Willems. Gwendolyn Grace, a preschool alligator in a pink tutu, wants to play. But her mother insists that she pipe down, because the baby is trying to sleep. Gwendolyn Grace can't quite believe it, and in this funny call-and-response, all dialogue and action picture book, she questions her mother relentlessly about what is allowed (not much) and not allowed (a lot). It all ends happily, though, when Mom, baby, and Gwendolyn Grace play a noisy game together. Lots of drama, lots of noise, and lots of funny moments make this picture book debut an ideal choice for story times and for families with new siblings.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
26 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Hannigan
10 books131 followersKatherine Hannigan's first novel, Ida B . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World was a New York Times bestseller, a Book Sense bestseller, and a Parents' Choice Gold Award winner, and it appeared on more than twenty-five state award lists. She (and several wild rabbits) live at the edge of a meadow in northeastern Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 26, 2021
Chicka-chicka-cha! Ping ping ping-aling!
I save books for my niece & nephew at various ages, like my dear Mom did. She bought them first editions of “Gwendolyn Grace” and “In The Waves” in 2015 or 2016. She went to Heaven last year, in 2020. I will mail them on her behalf. They will be glad to receive these gifts from their much missed Grandma. The provenance of these two storybooks is meaningful in an especially profound way.
Bare pages are nearly absent of accoutrements or colour. They contain almost entirely the alligator Daughter protagonist, with a pet brown & white dog. Gwendolyn seems large, until her Mama shares the frames but I suppose alligators correctly stand taller than dogs. After living for years in apartments that I did not have authority or money to paint, I cannot stand plain white to this day and always relished vibrancy anyway. Thus, the backgrounds that are awash in any colour are instantly soothing and pretty to me, prettily setting off the item of furniture that does appear.
Katherine Hannigan serves both as authoress and artiste and she does get loveable personality and warmth into her simple animal shapes. Besides the newborn alligator for whom Mama needs quiet, the cutest little guy is their miniscule duck. Katherine’s humour strikes four stars in my two favourite parts.
The duck plays a spoon against a pot: “Ping ping ping-aling”! A jar of peanuts is Gwendolyn’s instrument and a common interpretation of their sound would be “shake” or “swish”. More deliciously than expected, I laughed my ass off that Katherine dreamed up “Chicka-chicka-cha”! Oh, her whimsical mind!
When I reached a train, whereupon the dog is tied to tracks and the tinier duck stands upon his snout in a black bandit’s costume, I was overcome with the hilarity! Well done, Mom!
I save books for my niece & nephew at various ages, like my dear Mom did. She bought them first editions of “Gwendolyn Grace” and “In The Waves” in 2015 or 2016. She went to Heaven last year, in 2020. I will mail them on her behalf. They will be glad to receive these gifts from their much missed Grandma. The provenance of these two storybooks is meaningful in an especially profound way.
Bare pages are nearly absent of accoutrements or colour. They contain almost entirely the alligator Daughter protagonist, with a pet brown & white dog. Gwendolyn seems large, until her Mama shares the frames but I suppose alligators correctly stand taller than dogs. After living for years in apartments that I did not have authority or money to paint, I cannot stand plain white to this day and always relished vibrancy anyway. Thus, the backgrounds that are awash in any colour are instantly soothing and pretty to me, prettily setting off the item of furniture that does appear.
Katherine Hannigan serves both as authoress and artiste and she does get loveable personality and warmth into her simple animal shapes. Besides the newborn alligator for whom Mama needs quiet, the cutest little guy is their miniscule duck. Katherine’s humour strikes four stars in my two favourite parts.
The duck plays a spoon against a pot: “Ping ping ping-aling”! A jar of peanuts is Gwendolyn’s instrument and a common interpretation of their sound would be “shake” or “swish”. More deliciously than expected, I laughed my ass off that Katherine dreamed up “Chicka-chicka-cha”! Oh, her whimsical mind!
When I reached a train, whereupon the dog is tied to tracks and the tinier duck stands upon his snout in a black bandit’s costume, I was overcome with the hilarity! Well done, Mom!
November 2, 2015
This book really captures a young child's antics when they are told they need to be quiet.
June 9, 2017
TED 8650 Children’s Literature
Literature Extension One- Opening Moves
Picture Book One
Gwendolyn Grace by Katherine Hannigan,
When doing a read aloud of the book Still a Gorilla by Kim Norman I would begin with my first opening move by saying to the class, “Close your eyes and think of a time you wished you could be something else. An animal perhaps? Why did you want to change who you are?” In this story we will read about Willy, who tries to act like other zoo animals and be something else. I think that by asking the children to relate to their own circumstances they will be able to identify more with Willy the gorilla. This opening move Fountas and Pinnel describe as “prompt brief sharing of personal experiences related to the text or theme.”
A second opening move I’d use on this book would be to say to the class, “This book has lots of animals that we’d see at the zoo. Let's see if we can count how many different ones we can find.” This opening move would get the students interested in the topic of wild animals, which goes along with other books in the text set I have chosen. This opening move would fall under “raise interest in a topic or theme.”
I chose this book because it fits my text set of fiction books with animals as the main character.It also is a repetitious book, which is great for young readers.It will go along well with the other three books I’ve chosen, which have alligators, giraffes, and polar bears all as the main characters.
Fountas and Pinnell, Engaging in readers in thinking and talking about texts through interactive read aloud, chapter 15, pg. 226
Literature Extension One- Opening Moves
Picture Book One
Gwendolyn Grace by Katherine Hannigan,
When doing a read aloud of the book Still a Gorilla by Kim Norman I would begin with my first opening move by saying to the class, “Close your eyes and think of a time you wished you could be something else. An animal perhaps? Why did you want to change who you are?” In this story we will read about Willy, who tries to act like other zoo animals and be something else. I think that by asking the children to relate to their own circumstances they will be able to identify more with Willy the gorilla. This opening move Fountas and Pinnel describe as “prompt brief sharing of personal experiences related to the text or theme.”
A second opening move I’d use on this book would be to say to the class, “This book has lots of animals that we’d see at the zoo. Let's see if we can count how many different ones we can find.” This opening move would get the students interested in the topic of wild animals, which goes along with other books in the text set I have chosen. This opening move would fall under “raise interest in a topic or theme.”
I chose this book because it fits my text set of fiction books with animals as the main character.It also is a repetitious book, which is great for young readers.It will go along well with the other three books I’ve chosen, which have alligators, giraffes, and polar bears all as the main characters.
Fountas and Pinnell, Engaging in readers in thinking and talking about texts through interactive read aloud, chapter 15, pg. 226
October 5, 2017
First Gwendolyn Grace made a noise then her mother said to be quiet so the baby can sleep. Next Gwendolyn said do you mean not to make any noise in the kitchen. Her mother said yes and she said ok, all right. Then her mother said not to make noise in the bathroom then Gwendolyn said all right. Last Gwendolyn made noise on the bed and her mother said not to make noise on the bed. The last thing was they all made noise when the baby woke up.
Gwendolyn made noise with the dog and bird. Gwendolyn has to be quiet because the baby is sleeping. Gwendolyn feels sad because she can't make any noise because the baby is sleeping. I think Gwendolyn Grace has the most when she's playing with everybody.
I like the book because I like when she goes down the stairs and I like when she hangs upside down.
Gwendolyn made noise with the dog and bird. Gwendolyn has to be quiet because the baby is sleeping. Gwendolyn feels sad because she can't make any noise because the baby is sleeping. I think Gwendolyn Grace has the most when she's playing with everybody.
I like the book because I like when she goes down the stairs and I like when she hangs upside down.
September 5, 2025
Preschoolers with a new sibling will especially appreciate this story. Gwendolyn Grace just loves having fun, but that usually involves making a lot of noise. When her new baby sibling is sleeping and her mama asks her to play quietly, Gwendolyn Grace has to ask about every little activity she can think of. Is this quiet? How about this?
I love that in the end, when baby is awake, mama. baby, and Gwendolyn all play happily together.
This is a fun group read aloud for story time and the illustrations are simple, but bright and wonderful.
I love that in the end, when baby is awake, mama. baby, and Gwendolyn all play happily together.
This is a fun group read aloud for story time and the illustrations are simple, but bright and wonderful.
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March 9, 2021Parent Perspective: New big sisters or big brothers will instantly see themselves in Gwendolyn Grace, whose emotions are expertly conveyed in the illustrations. See why this is a "must-have" for every family.
May 31, 2019
I picked this book because Grace is my first name. It was a good book.
February 19, 2020
Ehh average story
January 21, 2021
An active alligator just can't stay quiet while her sibling sleeps no matter what mama says. Cute ending. Preschool and up
January 26, 2022
Good book, especially for kids that have jut had a sibling recently. A little too short though.
June 2, 2015
No more swinging and singing from the chandeliors, banging on the pots and pans or bouncing on the bed for Gwendolyn Grace! Gwendolyn has just received a new family member…a small and sleepy Alligator Baby who is putting a damper on all her wild times! Gwendolyn’s Mommy asks her to try and stay calm and play quietly while the baby is sleeping. Will Gwendolyn’s fun end with the new baby’s arrival? Bright and vibrant illustrations in a palette of yello, green and pink portray the friendliest and most fun alligators. Gwendolyn’s response to the call-out boxes from Mommy out of scene are filled with humor, her expressions with a lot of real child emotion, and her adventures are a silly but real-life treat. This is a great book to read to your child that will become a future big sis or big bro! It tells an important lesson about being respectful to a new baby’s needs while showing them that it doesn’t mean the fun and laughter will come to an end! A new baby is just the beginning of wonderful new adventures! Read more at www.diapers-and-daydreams.com !
January 10, 2016
Gwendolyn Grace’s mother asks her to stop making so much noise while the baby is sleeping. Gwendolyn Grace isn’t sure just what that means. Does it mean no jumping on the beds? Yes. Does it mean no making music in the kitchen? Yes. Does it mean no sledding down the stairs? Yes. But it also means that when the baby wakes up they can all play together. So, when the baby wakes up Mama, Baby, and Gwendolyn Grace have a parade complete with noise makers.
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November 23, 2015
Gwendolyn Grace's mom has a new baby and her mom wants her to be quiet while the baby is sleeping. But Gwendolyn Grace wants to be clear what her mom means...does she mean to be quiet in the kitchen and not clang and ping and crash pots and pans and lids? Does she mean to be quiet in the bathroom and not splash and slurp and flub and drip? Yes, her mom keeps repeating. Will Gwendolyn Grace ever get to make noise again? You can count on it! Fun and colorful illustrations really bring this adorable alligator to life.
May 21, 2016
Gwendolyn Grace is a young alligator who just wants to wear her tutu around the house and play--but the baby is sleeping and she needs to keep it quiet! Lots of fun noises are made as she slides down the stairs, swings from the chandeliers, and plays with her toys, that could be great for an interactive read-aloud. A great story about what life is like with a new sibling, wonderful for the ECE/Kindergarten crowd. Colorful illustrations of Gwendolyn Grace’s antics will keep students laughing throughout the story. Great for classroom and school libraries.
November 10, 2015
Very cute illustrations, but a limited story. Gwendolyn Grace keeps wanting to do noisy things while the baby is sleeping, but the mom never gives her instructions in a form that make sense. Gwendolyn Grace keeps pushing the noise boundaries, for no apparent reason, and the "resolution" is that the mom agrees to play noisy games after the baby wakes up. Since this gives Gwendolyn Grace yet another excuse to make noise, this baby may never get a nap of more than a few seconds, ever again.
December 30, 2015
Gwendolyn Grace just wants to have fun but the baby is trying to sleep and she has to be quiet.
Dance, make music, & splash along with Gwendolyn Grace! I met the lovely Katherine Hannigan & she loves to share drawing lessons with kiddos!
I adore my personalized copy of this book ~ Gwendolyn Grace is holding a "Mrs. Merrill's Book Break!" Sign!
Dance, make music, & splash along with Gwendolyn Grace! I met the lovely Katherine Hannigan & she loves to share drawing lessons with kiddos!
I adore my personalized copy of this book ~ Gwendolyn Grace is holding a "Mrs. Merrill's Book Break!" Sign!
February 17, 2016
Gwendolyn Grace just wants to play but the baby is sleeping and she needs to be quiet. Her mother asks her to be quiet and Gwendolyn clarifies by doing all the things she's not supposed to do and then asking "Did you mean that?" It is a very cute book about a new baby and changes in the life of an older sibling. Recommended for ages 3-6.
April 20, 2015
Cute but
April 29, 2015
Love the ending though I feel a bit worn out from Gwendolyn Grace
May 7, 2015
Age: Infant-Preschool
Family: Newborn, older sister
Family: Newborn, older sister
May 18, 2015
i like how this ends on a positive note
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July 15, 2015This would be fun for storytime and possible good for teaching onomatopoeia to preschool and K.
August 11, 2015
Older alligator sibling has to keep quiet for baby.
August 27, 2015
Delightful story of an exuberant girl, fun imagination and a great family moment at the end.
November 17, 2015
The adults listening to this book at storytime enjoyed this book more than the children! Soft pastelish pictures, brief text.
November 17, 2015
SUPER CUTE BOOK. The whole body expressions by Gwendolyn Grace are perfect.
May 2, 2016
There are many other better choices out there.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews