Later, Gator

by Laurence Yep, Eric Valasquez (Illustrator)

Teddy finds that his imagination has gotten him into trouble once more, when he buys his younger brother Bobby an alligator for his birthday

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1900

About the author

Born June 14, 1948 in San Francisco, California, Yep was the son of Thomas Gim Yep and Franche Lee Yep. Franche Lee, her family's youngest child, was born in Ohio and raised in West Virginia where her family owned a Chinese laundry. Yep's father, Thomas, was born in China and came to America at the age of ten where he lived, not in Chinatown, but with an Irish friend in a white neighborhood. After troubling times during the Depression, he was able to open a grocery store in an African-American neighborhood. Growing up in San Francisco, Yep felt alienated. He was in his own words his neighborhood's "all-purpose Asian" and did not feel he had a culture of his own. Joanne Ryder, a children's book author, and Yep met and became friends during college while she was his editor. They later married and now live in San Francisco.

Although not living in Chinatown, Yep commuted to a parochial bilingual school there. Other students at the school, according to Yep, labeled him a "dumbbell Chinese" because he spoke only English. During high school he faced the white American culture for the first time. However, it was while attending high school that he started writing for a science fiction magazine, being paid one cent a word for his efforts. After two years at Marquette University, Yep transferred to the University of California at Santa Cruz where he graduated in 1970 with a B.A. He continued on to earn a Ph.D. in English from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1975. Today as well as writing, he has taught writing and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and Santa Barbara.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fifth grader teacher, I would have no qualms about adding this book to my classroom library. It is a good, clean tale about two brothers and an alligator. This story is funny and touching, and I could see some of my reluctant readers really enjoying it.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate having a funny book set in not-historical Chinatown, San Francisco. The secondary story of the brothers learning to communicate as people is also enlightening. And there would be things to discuss here, whether the child reader has a sibling or just wonders what it would be like.

Ultimately, though, it was a little too light for me, an experienced adult reader. I imagine kids who like pets will be interested, but I don't know for sure. And, yes, there's a brief note at the end explaining that pet stores no longer sell alligators, nor disposable animals like Easter chicks.

[Hailee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute but forgettable read. Enjoyable story of brotherhood and family

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was recommended because it is similar to Tale of a Fourth Grade Nothing. The plots have plenty of parallels, we didn't enjoy it nearly as much and frequently chose to read other things at bedtime. Teddy is mean to his younger brother in ways and for reasons that we just didn't get or care for.

[Samantha salinas · Rating 4 out of 5]

this story is about a young boy and his brother loosing and alligator in their apartment.it is a great story about brothership and working together.

[Ms. Vicki Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was adorable. It's about two brothers and the oldest decides to give the younger one a baby aligator for his birthday, but they have to hid it from their mother.

[Sojood Thr]

its a great novel

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun kids' story about two brothers dealing with their pet alligator. I enjoyed the development of the brothers' relationship toward the end.

[Ming · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was amusing but I felt so bad for the gators in the end of the book. This seems to serve as a warning against illegal animal trading and why wild animals belong in the wild.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was an OK book, but it was super sad at the ending and a bit slow in the beginning.

[Alleyah Janelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good book