By: Elise Parsley

Magnolia Says DON’T! – A Show-and-Tell That Goes Very Wrong

This was probably one of my very favorite picture books, and it came highly recommended by Good Housekeeping. After reading it, I can definitely see why!

The story follows Magnolia as she tries to decide what to bring for show and tell. While other students might bring something simple like a stick or colorful rocks, Magnolia decides to bring something much more exciting—an alligator.

As you might imagine, bringing an alligator to school turns out to be a terrible idea.

The mischievous alligator immediately begins causing chaos in the classroom. He throws a paper airplane at the teacher, nearly eats another student, and generally creates complete mayhem. Poor Magnolia quickly finds herself in the middle of the trouble and ends up getting into all kinds of problems.

Eventually, Magnolia is sent to the principal’s office, where she realizes that bringing an alligator to school was not her best decision.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the illustrations. They are incredibly unique and full of humor, adding even more fun to the story. The artwork really brings the chaos of the classroom to life and makes the book even more entertaining to read.

This story is silly, memorable, and perfect for kids who enjoy funny books with a little bit of mischief. It’s easy to see why it earned a recommendation from Good Housekeeping.