About the Author

Conrad J. Storad is a national award-winning author of more than 40 science and nature books for young readers. His newest titles are Arizona Way Out West & Wacky, and Arizona Way Out West & Witty, fun history/activity books. AZ Witty was named OneBookAZ for Kids in 2012 by the Arizona State Library. AZ Wacky was a national finalist for the 2012 Benjamin Franklin Award for nonfiction. USA Book News named his Rattlesnake Rules as 2011 Best Children's Non-Fiction Picture Book. Alex Lopez is a self-taught artist whose career initially developed in the video game industry, where he worked for SEGA, 2K Games and Konami. He has also provided artistic production and management services for Disney Interactive, Dynamite Comics and Stanford University. Lopez is proficient with numerous print, digital and multimedia genres and currently serves as an art director, building and training artistic teams.

Reviews

"Oh my goodness! Is it true? Is there really an alligator in the classroom? I don't think a second grade classroom is a good place for a gator. Do you? There are all sorts of animals that make very good classroom pets, but there are others that simply are a bad idea. This is the story of one such classroom, all the pets that live there, and of the new pet that arrived one day. Told by Sue the gerbil, who prefers to be called Snoozer because, well, you know, she likes to sleep A LOT, and "translated from gerbilish to English" by author Conrad J. Storad, this is a silly, sweet, and fun story of just what makes a good classroom pet. Snoozer begins by introducing the reader to all the animals that live in Mrs. Nichols' classroom. There's Lola the red knee tarantula, two white mice, a tank full of goldfish and oh yes, let's not forget about Nat the cat who visits the school and likes to peek through the windows at Snoozer and the other animals. All was well with the animals, and the students learned a lot about various creatures by watching/studying them. What could be better? But then one day Benny and Jacob came to school with a little surprise - a baby alligator! Some of the other kids thought the baby alligator was the absolute coolest creature to enter the classroom. Names were tossed around - what should they call the new addition to the class? Whoa! Wait a minute! Mrs. Nichols had to put a stop to this dangerous idea right away. A classroom was NO place for a baby alligator! Gator, Gator, Second Grader is a wonderful introduction to the world of classroom pets. With the teacher's help, students, and readers, learn about what makes a good pet, and why an alligator is NOT a good idea. Once Mrs. Nichols explains the concept, the students take turns listing an animal that would make a good pet, followed by an animal that should be left in the wild. At the end of the story are over ten pages of additional facts, from proper hand washing after handling an animal, information on gerbils and alligators, the often confused alligator vs. crocodile quandary, plus a curriculum and activity guide. Add in the fantastic illustrations and there's no doubt that this book should be in every classroom! Quill says: Gator, gator, you belong in the wild, not in a second grade classroom! Read and learn all about various animals in this charming book about just what makes a good pet." -- Ellen Feld, Feathered Quill Book Reviews "Gator, Gator, Second Grader is a wonderful introduction to the world of animals and classroom pets for students. The book, while creative, captivating, and funny, is also very educational and provides a realistic look at what kind of animals belong in the classroom, while also teaching facts about them. The book will be an excellent tool for teachers to use in conjunction with a classroom pet. We are proud to list it on our website as one of the resources we recommend to teachers who apply for our educational grant program that supports classroom pets." -- Steve King, Executive Director, The Pet Care Trust/Pets in the Classroom "Having taught grade two (my most favourite grade to teach of all) and been an elementary school librarian I certainly would have had this book in my classroom and library. The book teaches children how to respect nature through choosing pets that are suitable to live in a classroom environment. The adorable gerbil narrator, Sue, nicknamed Snoozer because of her sleeping habits, is the perfect choice to invite, guide and teach your child all about the different animals that are featured candidates to reside in school. The cover illustration is picture perfect as it entices the curious child to discover what possibly is housed inside that mysterious box with holes poked all through it and who owns that one big eye staring out into the world beyond. The illustrations are vibrant, expressive and marry with the text perfectly. The cartoonish animals show their personality traits and lots of visual learning occurs through studying the pictures alone. Benny and Jacob, residents of grade two, bring a baby alligator to school in a cardboard box wondering if they can keep it amongst the multiple critters already living there. Mrs. Nichols, their smart and creative teacher, has the perfect teaching moment handed right to her. 'Many creatures make great classroom pets, but others just DO NOT - A baby alligator is NOT a good classroom pet!' She then takes her class on a compare and contrast animal adventure sorting out which pets are suitable and which are not. The children, excited with the spontaneity of the moment, exuberantly join in as they put on their thinking caps to discern the answers their teacher is seeking. The children learn a valuable lesson in proper pet etiquette for a classroom and after meaningful discussion and enlightenment I am sure the baby gator was taken back to its natural habitat in the wild where it belonged. The book has a comprehensive accompanying curriculum guide with language and pictures masterfully crafted for early elementary readers. Any caregiver, parent, teacher or librarian would be very proud to include this book in their collection. Highly recommended." -- Marilyn Panton, Storywraps "If ever there was a book that needs to be in every elementary school classroom and in every home with children, it's this one! The Common Core-based curriculum and activity guide can be easily followed by teachers, librarians, and parents. My children enjoyed the story from beginning to end." -- Maria Mucino, Branch Manager, MLS, Guadalupe Branch Library, Maricopa County Library District "Gator, Gator, Second Grader (Classroom Peta|Or Not?) addresses a concern that many animal educators now face in today's growing pet trade: what is a good pet and what is NOT? It is important for kids to learn from those of us who have been there. When I was a kid, I loved so many different species of animals and I begged for dozens to have as petsafrom alligators and tokay geckos to creatures as crazy as wolverines and badgers - I used to beg my mom for them all! Thankfully, she would find a plush or rubber animal for me to care for instead but the fact remains that kids love animals and do not think about the challenges of keeping them as pets! Wild animals - from gators to bears - belong in the wild, plain and simple. But, kids don't always understand that. What's amazing about Gator, Gator, Second Grader is that it not only tells an entertaining story about kids and an alligator, it also explains why this reptile among others do not make good pets and suggests some animals that do make good household companions. As a kid, being told 'No' is heartbreaking. However, being told 'No, but here is another option...' is brilliantly awesome! I think what really captivated me about reading this book, aside from the amusing story and beautiful illustrations, was the addition of animal facts, questions, and educational lessons provided at the end of the book which allows both parents and teachers to engage and educate the next generation of animal lovers. I hope that Conrad J. Storad and Five Star Publications, Inc. have other books like this one on deck because not only is there a wild world of possibilities to be covered, there are also countless young, animal-enthusiasts to inspire with this style of education!" -- Coyote Peterson, host of Breaking Trail