The Winner of the 2017 V&A Best Illustrated Book Award
Glorious illustrations tell this story that is both nicely scary and neatly resolved. Everyone knows that alligators are scary! Right? Alan comes from a long line of scary alligators and, with his HUGE white and sharply-pointed teeth he has a happy time scaring all the other creatures in the pond. Alan takes great care of his teeth; he brushes them for at least ten minutes a day so that they look super-sharp and frightening. But, what the other creatures don’t know is that Alan has a very big secret…What will Alan do when everyone finds out?
An alligator who snaps, becomes an alligator who th-naps in this hilarious, heart-warming story of making new friends and discovering who you really are. Meet Alan, an alligator with a secret. Famed for his big, scary teeth, he sneaks into the jungle every day to scare the jungle animals ...
“I’m big, scary Alan! Fear my razor-sharp teeth!” But after a long day of scaring, Alan likes nothing better than to run a warm mud bath and take out his false teeth, which nobody knows about! That is, until his teeth go missing. What will Alan do now? Scaring is the only thing he knows how to do! Can he still be scary without them?
A goofy comedy of self-discovery, witty, warm-hearted storytelling and bright graphic art will make this (and Alan!) a firm children’s book favourite.
A riotous jungle romp about a crocodile with an embarrassing secret. It’s great fun. -- Fiona Noble - The Bookseller
Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth is a hilarious, heart-warming story of making new friends and discovering who you really are. - The Bookseller
A jungly jaunt that’s sure to bring Alan-sized smiles to the faces of listeners (not to mention the occasional adult reader aloud) and I love those vibrant, energetic scenes and some of the small details are real giggle-inducers. - Red Reading Hub
A heart-warming journey of self-discovery, coupled with witticism and original artwork. - Picture Books Blogger
Jarvis' brilliantly humorous writing and illustrations make Alan's Big Scary Teeth an instant hit with tiddlers, and yep even cynical tweenies will still giggle when Alan appears on the Savannah, ready to savage everyone with his gummy grin! Truly excellent! - Read It, Daddy!
A dark tropical palette and a variety of paint and pencil techniques make this book busy, bold and beautiful. Children will howl (like monkeys) at the sight of poor, toothless Alan and the final page will have everyone in fits of giggles. Instantly appealing, undeniably hilarious and totally brilliant – there’s really nothing that children won’t love here. - Books for Keeps
This is a shop favourite which is perfect for reading aloud. - IBW Children's Book Guide, The Bookseller
Like the best picture books, it is a pleasingly simple story, set in a faraway place, with a lot to say to young readers. This lovely picture book will be enjoyed by the very young and the not so young alike. - School Library Association
The witty Jarvis (“Lazy Dave”) makes all the right moves, drawing Alan’s jungle world with his usual loose, jagged charm. - NY Times
“A chomping charmer of a story filled to the brim with giggles.” - Baby London
Author
About Jarvis
Jarvis studied graphic design and previously worked as both a record sleeve designer and an animation director before becoming a children's book illustrator.
His books with Walker include The Boy with Flowers in His Hair, Follow Me, Flo!, Tropical Terry, Mrs Mole, I’m Home! and Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth, which won the V&A Best Illustrated Book.
He is also the illustrator of the much-loved "Pick a ..." series written by Patricia Toht, Pick a Pine Tree, Pick a Pumpkin and Pick a Perfect Egg. Jarvis lives in Manchester with his wife and their dog and cat.
About his picture book inspiration, Jarvis says, "The way I work is always visual. I will have an image or character in mind and I pull a story out of it. I doodle and doodle and doodle until I get it right."
