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Jerry Pallotta's Alphabet Books
The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book
Find out why boa constrictors swallow their meals whole, learn why gila monster's tails are so fat, and meet a lizard that is larger than most people.
As young readers turn the pages of this beautifully illustrated book, they will find that reptiles aren't really so "yucky." In fact, reptiles are among nature's most exotic and intriguing animals.
Jerry Pallotta's well-researched text and Ralph Masiello's vivid illustrations will enthrall young and not-so-young readers alike.
As young readers turn the pages of this beautifully illustrated book, they will find that reptiles aren't really so "yucky." In fact, reptiles are among nature's most exotic and intriguing animals.
Jerry Pallotta's well-researched text and Ralph Masiello's vivid illustrations will enthrall young and not-so-young readers alike.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Jerry Pallotta
285 books121 followersMy full name is Gerard Larry Pallotta but my mom always called me "Jerry". I was born on March 26, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts. My mom's name is Mary, and she came from a family of ten children. My dad's name is Joe, and he came from a family of five children. My grandparents were immigrants of Italian descent. I have the nicest parents in the world. They have always been unselfish and ready to help me, even today. I have four brothers and two sisters: Joey, David, Andrew, Danny, Cindy and Mickey. I have seventy-two first cousins. When I was growing up, there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 22, 2021
So yes, the factual information presented by Jerry Pallotta in alphabet format (from A to Z) in his 1989 The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book is certainly sufficiently interesting and also seems scientifically accurate enough to provide a decent albeit also just basic introduction to reptiles in general (but with there being no included bibliographic whatsoever materials to be found in The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book, there is sadly and unfortunately also no way of actually easily verifying this, and indeed, this definitely seriously lessens the teaching and learning and in particular totally erases any supplemental research value for The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book).
However and indeed this is a very massive and heavy duty however, I am to be perfectly honest also and equally quite simply much too angrily annoyed and furious that similar to Jerry Pallotta’s series of picture books on insects (on bugs), which his book titles label as supposedly being icky, with his alphabet book on “yucky” reptiles, Pallotta obviously and once again is using a silly and ridiculous gimmick by somehow and in my opinion for no real and justifiable reason using a book title that is actually at best insulting and denigrating to all reptiles, for me to consider more than one star for The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book. And no, not even the fact that I do aesthetically really enjoy Ralph Masiello’s accompanying artwork is going to change my ranking from one to two stars this time, as I am definitely majorly fed up and massively furious. For indeed, reptiles are obviously not even remotely and inherently yucky and for Jerry Pallotta’s book title of The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book to in my humble opinion blatantly assume this, that is not only silly and ridiculous, it also does nothing to render reptiles as animals to be appreciated and not to be inherently feared and/or despised. And while I do think that The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book actually features much of interest about reptiles, and in fact does not seem to be at all textually negative, sorry, but there is NO WAY I am going to be recommending The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book (for in my opinion, Jerry Pallotta’s penchant for using in my opinion inappropriate and misleading book titles really is something that needs to be strongly criticised and condemned).
However and indeed this is a very massive and heavy duty however, I am to be perfectly honest also and equally quite simply much too angrily annoyed and furious that similar to Jerry Pallotta’s series of picture books on insects (on bugs), which his book titles label as supposedly being icky, with his alphabet book on “yucky” reptiles, Pallotta obviously and once again is using a silly and ridiculous gimmick by somehow and in my opinion for no real and justifiable reason using a book title that is actually at best insulting and denigrating to all reptiles, for me to consider more than one star for The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book. And no, not even the fact that I do aesthetically really enjoy Ralph Masiello’s accompanying artwork is going to change my ranking from one to two stars this time, as I am definitely majorly fed up and massively furious. For indeed, reptiles are obviously not even remotely and inherently yucky and for Jerry Pallotta’s book title of The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book to in my humble opinion blatantly assume this, that is not only silly and ridiculous, it also does nothing to render reptiles as animals to be appreciated and not to be inherently feared and/or despised. And while I do think that The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book actually features much of interest about reptiles, and in fact does not seem to be at all textually negative, sorry, but there is NO WAY I am going to be recommending The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book (for in my opinion, Jerry Pallotta’s penchant for using in my opinion inappropriate and misleading book titles really is something that needs to be strongly criticised and condemned).
April 18, 2025
The definition of yucky is messy or disgusting. Is the book messy? No. Is it disgusting? Not in a tactile sense. With a title like that, what is the author trying to say? Is he trying to say that reptiles are yucky? Why? That would be the author’s opinion. It’s not a fact, but this opinion along with other opinions within the book are interspersed with facts which could lead a child to believe that the opinions are facts.
This could have been an excellent book. The title could have been The Reptile Alphabet Book, but the unfortunate word "yucky" was included. Why yucky? Is the author trying to teach others to discriminate against reptiles? It should have been titled Jerry Pallotta Doesn't Like Reptiles Alphabet Book. Then why did Jerry Pallotta write this book?
I didn't notice anything yucky at the beginning of the book. I thought it only had an unfortunate title until I came across other disparaging remarks. It seems that Mr. Pallotta doesn't think that children can handle scientific words such as Xantusia riversiana. Telling children they are incapable of something diminishes their belief in themselves. Here are some examples of Mr. Pallotta making swooping judgments:
“The Ornate Box Turtle is prettier than other box turtles.” [That is his opinion.]
“The Queensnake is a water snake that may have gotten its name because it is a picky eater and likes fancy food.” [That is ridiculous. Species evolve to eat their specific diets. It eats what it eats to survive. What makes food fancy? As a side note, please do not tell children that they are picky eaters. People have sensory issues.]
“Not many people like to play with Rattlesnakes because they have poisonous fangs in their mouths.” [Learn some boundaries and do not play with other beings, especially snakes.]
“When picked up, Whiptails wiggle their heads from side to side.” [Again, learn boundaries. Animals make warning behaviors because they don’t want to be picked up. How would you behave if a person or other animal came along and picked you up?]
“This scientific name is much too difficult for young children.” [Latin words were not too difficult for Latin-speaking children. If you don’t expose children to unfamiliar languages, they will remain unfamiliar.]
“The Yellow-headed Gecko is cute but maybe it would rather be red-headed, orange-headed or purple-headed.” [Where does an idea like this come from? No, this probably never occurred to them. It would make them less able to distinguish themselves from other species.]
“Adults would probably like to know that there are four different living orders of reptiles.” [Anyone interested in reptiles, no matter their age, would probably be interested in the four orders of living reptiles, plus the orders of extinct reptiles. Word choice and order determine meaning.]
After reading this book, I think it is disappointing. Reptiles look and behave the way they do and are capable of what they do because that is what they need to survive. Disparaging opinions are not necessary. It doesn't come across as cute or funny, in my opinion. Writing books that give facts will help people understand the world they live in. Factual books do not need to be dry and boring, and they do not need to be spruced up with opinions.
The illustrations are good.
I read Mr. Pallotta's profile autobiography. No wonder. He was not a science major. It shows.
This could have been an excellent book. The title could have been The Reptile Alphabet Book, but the unfortunate word "yucky" was included. Why yucky? Is the author trying to teach others to discriminate against reptiles? It should have been titled Jerry Pallotta Doesn't Like Reptiles Alphabet Book. Then why did Jerry Pallotta write this book?
I didn't notice anything yucky at the beginning of the book. I thought it only had an unfortunate title until I came across other disparaging remarks. It seems that Mr. Pallotta doesn't think that children can handle scientific words such as Xantusia riversiana. Telling children they are incapable of something diminishes their belief in themselves. Here are some examples of Mr. Pallotta making swooping judgments:
“The Ornate Box Turtle is prettier than other box turtles.” [That is his opinion.]
“The Queensnake is a water snake that may have gotten its name because it is a picky eater and likes fancy food.” [That is ridiculous. Species evolve to eat their specific diets. It eats what it eats to survive. What makes food fancy? As a side note, please do not tell children that they are picky eaters. People have sensory issues.]
“Not many people like to play with Rattlesnakes because they have poisonous fangs in their mouths.” [Learn some boundaries and do not play with other beings, especially snakes.]
“When picked up, Whiptails wiggle their heads from side to side.” [Again, learn boundaries. Animals make warning behaviors because they don’t want to be picked up. How would you behave if a person or other animal came along and picked you up?]
“This scientific name is much too difficult for young children.” [Latin words were not too difficult for Latin-speaking children. If you don’t expose children to unfamiliar languages, they will remain unfamiliar.]
“The Yellow-headed Gecko is cute but maybe it would rather be red-headed, orange-headed or purple-headed.” [Where does an idea like this come from? No, this probably never occurred to them. It would make them less able to distinguish themselves from other species.]
“Adults would probably like to know that there are four different living orders of reptiles.” [Anyone interested in reptiles, no matter their age, would probably be interested in the four orders of living reptiles, plus the orders of extinct reptiles. Word choice and order determine meaning.]
After reading this book, I think it is disappointing. Reptiles look and behave the way they do and are capable of what they do because that is what they need to survive. Disparaging opinions are not necessary. It doesn't come across as cute or funny, in my opinion. Writing books that give facts will help people understand the world they live in. Factual books do not need to be dry and boring, and they do not need to be spruced up with opinions.
The illustrations are good.
I read Mr. Pallotta's profile autobiography. No wonder. He was not a science major. It shows.
July 22, 2024
I really enjoyed reading and looking at this ABC book! Beautiful illustrations that will appeal to all ages, even if you really dislike reptiles!. The brief description of each reptile is just the right length. This is part of a great series.
June 14, 2022
A great little book, that is exactly what you think it is. Good reptiles and good illustrations
November 18, 2024
They had to worm too hard to make up options for certain letters.
April 19, 2012
This book can be used to teach students about reptiles. It goes through every letter of the alphabet and describes one reptile for each letter. This book is great for teaching a unit about reptiles and using this for the explain or elaboration portion with students. I would read this book with the younger grades (K-2) because I think they would find it the most enjoying.
This book could be used with kindergarteners or Pre-K students to teach them more about the alphabet, and help them associate a reptile with each letter. The teacher could even read this book and have students write their own alphabet book about things the student enjoys.
This book could be used with kindergarteners or Pre-K students to teach them more about the alphabet, and help them associate a reptile with each letter. The teacher could even read this book and have students write their own alphabet book about things the student enjoys.
June 4, 2008
This book was awesome! It wasn't really yucky, unless you're a total baby about lizards and such.
It had a lot of animals we'd never heard of before and some of our old favorites. We learned such interesting, and yucky, things - like blood spurting out of the eye of a horned lizard to scare a predator away. Yeah, I'd run too. It has really great illustrations and a bit of humor mixed throughout.
My boys looked through it a lot and we read it many times before sending it back to the library. And I think we'll be getting it again soon. They've been asking about it.
It had a lot of animals we'd never heard of before and some of our old favorites. We learned such interesting, and yucky, things - like blood spurting out of the eye of a horned lizard to scare a predator away. Yeah, I'd run too. It has really great illustrations and a bit of humor mixed throughout.
My boys looked through it a lot and we read it many times before sending it back to the library. And I think we'll be getting it again soon. They've been asking about it.
June 13, 2015
This lovely book teaches letter recognition and phonemic awareness. The book includes a few words that the child can figure out from the pictures so that the child doesn’t feel discouraged by any struggle yet. Teacher or parent can ask the child to point under each word next time he or she reads, so the child starts to get the idea that one word on the page matches to one spoken word, and begins to naturally pick up on cues like looking at the first letter.
The beautiful illutrartions are highly engaging.
The beautiful illutrartions are highly engaging.
April 1, 2015
This book was very informational about reptiles. I enjoyed how many different reptiles were mentioned and researched upon. This book helps me have an idea of how to broaden a research units span from one animal species to multiple to choose from. I would use this book to add to my research unit for my class.
December 4, 2010
This book is really good for children to look at to help them learn the alphabet. For every letter, there is a reptile that goes a long with it. You need to make sure that the children will not be scared of some of the reptiles that are in the book.
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October 9, 2012Week of October 9
This book is a good alphabet book. I have always liked the alphabet books that have useful and fun information in them. In this book, each letter of the alphabet is represented by a reptile who's name begins with that letter, and it has facts about each reptile.
This book is a good alphabet book. I have always liked the alphabet books that have useful and fun information in them. In this book, each letter of the alphabet is represented by a reptile who's name begins with that letter, and it has facts about each reptile.
Read
August 24, 2015I think children would really like this book, especially the boys. This would be a great book to read before a trip to the zoo. Reptiles are very interesting and it wold be neat to have upper elementary students do a poster presentation on reptile of their choice and present it to the class.
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April 17, 2008E Pal
April 7, 2009
Good illustrations of reptiles - helps with name recognition. Some are kind of scary, some pretty cool looking. Wow - a lizard with a blue tongue!
August 15, 2009
I love this Jerry Pallotta book. It is so much more than an alphabet book. There is so much science in it.
November 26, 2010
This a book that incorporates math and science together. Students can learn the alphabet as well as reptiles. Great pictures to represent the reptiles.
September 15, 2012
I bought this for my 4 year old nephew, of course I had to read it first. It is fun and I learned a few things about certain yucky reptiles!
picture-books-read
May 24, 2013Great information and short enough that preschool-aged children love it. For my full review: http://sunlitpages.blogspot.com/2013/...
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December 11, 2013AR Quiz No. 41678 EN Nonfiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 3.4 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 3.4 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP
March 19, 2014
Love the art work. This could be used to compliment a science unit on reptiles, to get an idea of an animal to research on.
April 26, 2017
This has wonderful illustrations and info of common and unusual reptiles. My only complaint and it is small, is that the printing of the colors are very dark and somewhat hard to see the details of these wonderful creatures!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews