El Guardian del Pantano Book

A boy and his ailing grandfather pole a small boat out into the Louisiana bayou. Suddenly, they spot Boots, a female alligator the grandfather saved from poachers years ago. How will the boy face the danger in learning to take care of this wild creature? Strikingly illustrated with artwork that combines oil painting and computer imaging, El guardian del pantano is a scary and satisfying tale that carries a strong environmental message.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-A poignant coming-of-age story as well as an excellent depiction of an intergenerational relationship tinged with sadness for the loss to come. A young boy and his dying grandfather make a special trip into the swamp to visit the old man's alligator friend, "Ole Boots," whom he had saved from poachers years before. The child learns to feed the reptile raw chicken from the boat using a long pole and, despite his uncertainties and fears, accomplishes the difficult task. Together, grandfather and grandson watch Ole Boots return to her nest and then turn toward home, content that the torch has been passed, and that the new "keeper of the swamp" will try his best to protect the wildlife, as his grandfather did before him. The illustrations are a mix of oils and computer-generated art that lend the double-page spreads a brilliant sheen. However, the swamp paintings are created in bright blues, with yellows and reds as accents-not characteristic of the soft gray greens of the Louisiana swamps in which the story is set. Still, this is a minor quibble for a story that has many strengths. An epilogue offers interesting facts on both alligators and swamps.-Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.