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Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp
With quick thinking and determination, a little girl manages to outwit all the dangerous residents in the Yeller Belly Swamp in this quirky, spooky picture book.
Gruesome creatures galore lurk in Yeller Belly Swamp, but they aren’t going to stop plucky Liza Lou from getting her mother’s sweet potatoes over to Gramma’s place. Haunts, gobblygooks, witches, and devils beware!
Gruesome creatures galore lurk in Yeller Belly Swamp, but they aren’t going to stop plucky Liza Lou from getting her mother’s sweet potatoes over to Gramma’s place. Haunts, gobblygooks, witches, and devils beware!
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
About the author
Mercer Mayer
791 books806 followersMercer Mayer is an American children's author and illustrator. He has published over 300 books, using a wide range of illustrative styles. Mayer is best known for his Little Critter and Little Monster series of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
July 4, 2015
Liza Lou is a little girl who lives in a dangerous swamp, but she faces threats with courage and manages to outwit all the monsters.
At first I wondered why Liza's apparently loving mother kept sending her out to face these dangers alone. But if one ignores the supernatural element suddenly the story becomes quite realistic. Liza and her mother live in a dangerous environment and appear to possess few resources. Their clothes are patched and they are happy when they get enough to eat. Put that way, it sounds like a situation that is all too common. Of course, most children face weirdos rather than witches, but is that any better?
My elementary school was a couple of miles from our apartment. I got myself there on my own, usually taking public transportation in the morning and walking home in the afternoon to save the fare. Walking adds the danger of cars, but otherwise is about the same as the bus, which is likewise full of perverts, addicts, and crazy people (literally, people formerly in mental institutions who were let loose when the hospitals switched from in- to out-patient). My mother warned me as best should could and told me to be careful. In retrospect it was really quite unsafe, but what else could my parents have done? They couldn't afford a car, or to take the bus with me, and they had to work and take care of my younger siblings. I'm sure, although they never said so at the time, that they were not happy about exposing me to these dangers and worried while I was out. But world-wide the majority of parents don't have the resources to protect their children from a dangerous world. All they can do is teach them well and hope they come though as well as Liza Lou.
At first I wondered why Liza's apparently loving mother kept sending her out to face these dangers alone. But if one ignores the supernatural element suddenly the story becomes quite realistic. Liza and her mother live in a dangerous environment and appear to possess few resources. Their clothes are patched and they are happy when they get enough to eat. Put that way, it sounds like a situation that is all too common. Of course, most children face weirdos rather than witches, but is that any better?
My elementary school was a couple of miles from our apartment. I got myself there on my own, usually taking public transportation in the morning and walking home in the afternoon to save the fare. Walking adds the danger of cars, but otherwise is about the same as the bus, which is likewise full of perverts, addicts, and crazy people (literally, people formerly in mental institutions who were let loose when the hospitals switched from in- to out-patient). My mother warned me as best should could and told me to be careful. In retrospect it was really quite unsafe, but what else could my parents have done? They couldn't afford a car, or to take the bus with me, and they had to work and take care of my younger siblings. I'm sure, although they never said so at the time, that they were not happy about exposing me to these dangers and worried while I was out. But world-wide the majority of parents don't have the resources to protect their children from a dangerous world. All they can do is teach them well and hope they come though as well as Liza Lou.
August 5, 2010
This is a delightful tale that has a strong female protagonist, Liza, and has a lot of humor. My only quibble is why did Liza’s mother send her into known danger time and time again?! But each time Liza is so intelligent and creative, she gets the upper hand. Liza is a wonderful character and children will enjoy her immensely, I think.
I love the little poems within the story, and I am wondering if they’re from traditional songs or stories; I’ll have to research that.
The foods mentioned sounded delicious.
The illustrations are wonderful: colorful and lush and detailed, and scary and humorous.
My edition has a lovely note to the reader from the author/illustrator Mercer Mayer. He thanks the reader for reading his book, mentions he’s written/illustrated over 200 books, and writes a bit about his growing up years and current life.
This book had been on my to-read shelf, but I read it now because it's one of the North American folk tales for this month's picture books club at the Children's Books group.
I love the little poems within the story, and I am wondering if they’re from traditional songs or stories; I’ll have to research that.
The foods mentioned sounded delicious.
The illustrations are wonderful: colorful and lush and detailed, and scary and humorous.
My edition has a lovely note to the reader from the author/illustrator Mercer Mayer. He thanks the reader for reading his book, mentions he’s written/illustrated over 200 books, and writes a bit about his growing up years and current life.
This book had been on my to-read shelf, but I read it now because it's one of the North American folk tales for this month's picture books club at the Children's Books group.
July 4, 2015
“Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp” is a clever tale set in the swamp by Mercer Mayer, well-known author of the “Little Critter” series and it is about how a smart and brave girl named Liza Lou manages to outsmart the monsters that lurk in the swamp. “Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp” is an amazing book about battle of wits that children will love for many years!
Mercer Mayer has certainly outdone himself in this tale of cunning and bravery as it details the wild adventures that Liza Lou has in the Yeller Belly Swamp. Mercer Mayer shows Liza Lou as a strong and cunning female character as she is able to trick any monster that comes in her path and she never shows fear in front of any monster she comes across. Liza Lou is also shown as a well-behaved child as she always does what her mother tells her to do and she has so much knowledge about what lies in the swamp as she knows every monster’s weakness and Liza Lou’s character will surely teach children how being cunning towards bullies always works out the best. Mercer Mayer’s illustrations are beautiful and hilarious at the same time, especially of the images of some of the monsters themselves as the monsters that Liza Lou encounter look large and menacing, such as the swamp haunt wearing a white sheet and yet has large feet and a bucktooth, but the monsters also look hilarious whenever they are shocked or frightened off by the tricks that Liza Lou pulls on them.
Parents should know that the monsters in this book might frighten smaller children as some of them do look a bit threatening such as the image of the swamp haunt looking like a large person being covered in a white sheet and has matted black hair and is shown to be transparent. Parents might want to tell their children that there are no such things as monsters in real life; however they must be careful whenever they travel to dangerous places by themselves or they should be accompanied by their parents until they get older to understand the dangers of the world.
“Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp” is a truly clever and exciting book that children who love reading about swamps and monsters will easily enjoy for many years. I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since the images of the monsters might scare smaller children.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
December 29, 2019
When Liza Lou's mother dispatches her to her Gramma's house with some sweet potatoes, she warns her to be careful, in crossing the Yeller Belly Swamp - home to good-for-nothing swamp haunts, a wicked swamp witch, the slithery gobblygook, and a soul-stealing swamp devil. But our intrepid young heroine has a trick or two up her sleeve, something those nasty swamp monsters discover, as she crisscrosses their territory in the course of her errands...
First published in 1976 (the year I was born), this delightful picture-book from the prolific Mercer Mayer - creator of the Little Critter books, as well as illustrator of many fairy-tale retellings - would have been available in my childhood, and I regret that I did not encounter it then! I would have loved it - I love it now! Liza Lou is a clever and resourceful heroine, and I think readers - young and old, boy and girl - will take her adventures to heart. Mayer's illustrations are adorable, both realistic and cute (I loved Liza Lou's little opossum companion!), and add to the sense of fun.
I was a little confused by the inclusion of this title in a folktale group-read, over in the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, but I guess that the inclusion of so many folkloric elements - outwitting the devil is always a classic theme, and the gobblygook under the bridge could be read as a troll - make it a sort of fractured fairy-tale. In any case: whatever the genre, the story and art are top-notch! Highly recommended to all!
First published in 1976 (the year I was born), this delightful picture-book from the prolific Mercer Mayer - creator of the Little Critter books, as well as illustrator of many fairy-tale retellings - would have been available in my childhood, and I regret that I did not encounter it then! I would have loved it - I love it now! Liza Lou is a clever and resourceful heroine, and I think readers - young and old, boy and girl - will take her adventures to heart. Mayer's illustrations are adorable, both realistic and cute (I loved Liza Lou's little opossum companion!), and add to the sense of fun.
I was a little confused by the inclusion of this title in a folktale group-read, over in the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, but I guess that the inclusion of so many folkloric elements - outwitting the devil is always a classic theme, and the gobblygook under the bridge could be read as a troll - make it a sort of fractured fairy-tale. In any case: whatever the genre, the story and art are top-notch! Highly recommended to all!
August 22, 2010
I read Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp and I loved it! The illustrations are fun. I really enjoyed the cover with Liza Lou standing on the alligator's head. I appreciate it more after reading the story and finding out what a clever little girl Liza Lou is. I wish I could think that quickly sometimes! I like Mercer Mayor's style and it brought me back to my childhood when I remember spotting the spider and cricket in his Little Critter books. I spotted a spider in some of these pages and I looked for the possum on every page. I love how the story read. "Yeller Belly Swamp" go ahead say that out loud and tell me that wasn't fun to say! =) I think others would definitely enjoy reading the adventures of this daring little girl and the rotten swamp creatures she encounters.
March 3, 2019
Cute, funny, sassy and smart story, and brilliant illustrations to boot. Perfect.
August 27, 2010
I enjoyed almost everything about this story/picture book. The illustrations are marvelous - quite detailed with expressive characters. I particularly liked a picture of Liza Lou's grandmother clonking a ghost over the top of its head with a frying pan, and also a picture of the parson, his wife, and Liza Lou at the breakfast table. Great stuff!
The story showed one girl's intelligence and determination to do what she needed to do, and her courage in the face of some scary stuff. But the one thing I didn't like: I kept wondering why her mother and aunt were sending her out into a very dangerous place all by herself!
The story showed one girl's intelligence and determination to do what she needed to do, and her courage in the face of some scary stuff. But the one thing I didn't like: I kept wondering why her mother and aunt were sending her out into a very dangerous place all by herself!
July 10, 2018
My favorite childhood book. I loved that Liza Lou looked like me & she was so much smarter than everyone else. She was full of tricks, as a kid, I couldn't get enough of this story.
Just bought a first edition off of eBay to share with my little one someday...
Just bought a first edition off of eBay to share with my little one someday...
July 10, 2011
I think I read this book in the 3rd grade. There was something very familiar about this story. Anyway, I thought that it was a really funny story about a little girl that lives in the swamp and she has to outwit all of the dangers that come her way. She basically is a fearless little girl who uses her brains to keep her safe. Great book for encourage young girls to meet situations head on and face them
November 23, 2008
I love this story about a smart and sassy girl who outwits an evil monster! Combine it with Patricia McKissacks' Flossie and the Fox.
February 26, 2009
A cute story about a quick thinking girl getting herself out of several sticky situations.
October 24, 2012
I remember reading this book as a little girl. I thought Liza Lou was the best and smartest little girl and I wanted so much to be like her.
March 15, 2013
I just love this book because I played Liza Lou in a fifth grade talent show.
August 24, 2019
**Actual Star Rating: 2.75**
This was an interesting book to come across while it kind of redoes the Little Red Riding Hood story although instead of giving us just one episode to explore there are quite a few. And each shows the protagonist using her wits to be able to escape to live another day with her trusty "pet" opossum who follows her along as she ventures out and about Yeller Belly Swamp.
Although the writing was easy, interesting and quick for the reader there were other parts of the book that were questionable. First the characters were all African American (does this actually take place in America though?) while their clothing portrayed them as stereotypes that one would normally be faced. Although I am normally lax with allowing for those stereotypes depending upon the timeframe that the book was written it but the fact that Liza is in barely no clothing while even showing her underwear at one point was really the point that made me dislike the whole "poor" showing stereotypes. And furthermore two of the villains were light colored although the former did look like Critter from that same-named species.
All in all it was a decent adventure tale but one that I just wouldn't recommend to other readers.
This was an interesting book to come across while it kind of redoes the Little Red Riding Hood story although instead of giving us just one episode to explore there are quite a few. And each shows the protagonist using her wits to be able to escape to live another day with her trusty "pet" opossum who follows her along as she ventures out and about Yeller Belly Swamp.
Although the writing was easy, interesting and quick for the reader there were other parts of the book that were questionable. First the characters were all African American (does this actually take place in America though?) while their clothing portrayed them as stereotypes that one would normally be faced. Although I am normally lax with allowing for those stereotypes depending upon the timeframe that the book was written it but the fact that Liza is in barely no clothing while even showing her underwear at one point was really the point that made me dislike the whole "poor" showing stereotypes. And furthermore two of the villains were light colored although the former did look like Critter from that same-named species.
All in all it was a decent adventure tale but one that I just wouldn't recommend to other readers.
October 5, 2007
Gorgeously vibrant and detailed illustrations. Fantastical, superbly stupid monsters hopelessly prone to grand theatrics. A smart, spunky female lead. A beguiling singsong dialect and poems to match. A melodramatic oppossum that gives Waldo some stiff competition in the find-me business. A brilliant tribute to Great American Swamp culture. This book is unparalleled.
Yellerbelly cottonmouth
Possum up a tree
You can catch the swamp fever
But you can't catch me!
Yellerbelly cottonmouth
Possum up a tree
You can catch the swamp fever
But you can't catch me!
June 23, 2011
As a child, the only Mercer Mayer I was aware of, was the Little Critter books, adorable as they are, they are nothing compared to some of Mercer Mayer's other works. I have to thank my sweet mother-in-law for introducing me to them. Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp is by far my favorite. And of course, I read it to my daughters in the most ridiculous fake southern accent I can manage.
December 10, 2014
Liza Lou's spunky behavior was just too cute. I read this book years ago but even now you feel this character's cunning way of venturing through a swamp to deliver a potato pie to her granny's house.
Surely a classic!
Surely a classic!
June 3, 2017
I think this is my favorite read-aloud book. I love Liza Lou's spunk and imagination!
August 22, 2017
This was one of my favorite books as a kid. Mercer Mayer's art is wonderful and the story was perfect for a sassy little girl who liked alligators and other crawly things.
February 28, 2023
I'm a huge Mercer Mayer fan, so I was stoked to read some of the backlog I haven't yet encountered. This is one of the earlier tomes, and while I appreciated the Southern drawl, delicious food and loving hospitality portrayed, and wily POC protagonist (yas queen!), the swamp creatures would probably have terrified me as a kid (truly, they are very grotesque), and I also felt the mother who continuously sends her daughter into perilous and potentially life-threatening escapades needs a bit of fine-tuning in today's hyper-PC society.
April 20, 2021
I put this under children's books, but this another one of those picture books that I simultaneously loved and feared as a child. 🤣 Mostly feared. Maybe don't read it to your child. Ever? Mercer Mayer is an illustration wizard, but did he have to scar me for life with this book? Still giving it five stars, it's a love/fear relationship. 🤣
December 7, 2019
With her quick thinking, Liza Lou, a little black girl, manages to outwit all the haunts, gobbly gooks, witches, and devils in the Yeller Belly Swamp.
Fun book, really original and just a delight to read. Pictures are colorful and unusual.
Fun book, really original and just a delight to read. Pictures are colorful and unusual.
July 16, 2020
Louisiana swamp folk lore of haunts, witches, goblins, and devils. The clever Liza Lou knows exactly how to deal with each swamp monster. I have to say that it's pretty gross that her pet is a possum.
November 13, 2020
This book just has too many scary things in it for me to want to read it to one of my children. And too many mentions of evil things eating children. With thousands of books to read, I wouldn't waste any time reading this one.
January 13, 2020
Liza Lou is one quick thinker! Good thing too, because the Yeller Belly Swamp is full of monsters and meanies. But with Liza Lou around, maybe its the monsters who need to watch out!
March 16, 2020
Why would a mother let her child go through all this. Now that would be a story.
March 16, 2022
Oh wow, I love this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Packed with cultural details, fun illustrations, cute story.
December 6, 2022
Liza Lou is bright and gets herself out of every bad situation.
August 14, 2023
This is a child's book and as a mother I read it often to my little girl. Just found a copy of it and reading thru it brought back wonderful memories of those years.
May 13, 2024
"Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp" is one of my children's favorite picture books and is one of my favorites to read to them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews