Patricia Ann Schoch
What does a town do when its largest manufacturing company, the biggest business in town, goes under? "The Town of Alpaca" was once a vibrant, bustling town, but ever since that llama came to town and bought the company, it hasn't been the same. He didn't manage it well and now the alpacas are out of jobs, their once-beautiful town has become a poor, rundown, dismal place to live, and The Alpackaging Company is on the market to be sold, but no one is looking to buy it. The situation seems hopeless for the alpacas. In addition, they now hate llamas.... ALL llamas, so you can imagine how Albert Alpaca felt when a strange couple showed up at his little "Alpaca Inn and Suites" looking for a room. Llamas!! What will he do? The story of "The Town of Alpaca" shows how heartwarming it feels when hatred turns into friendship, misunderstandings into trust, and working together works!You may think the plot of this book seems like something above a child's understanding, but don't sell them short; they are smarter than we think, and often we don't give them enough credit for their savvy. This is also part of what makes the book unique from others: it presents real issues through the eyes of a child. Many families have gone through challenging times like this, but life's challenges don't always wait for children to be old enough to understand them. The problem at hand is simplified enough in the book for them to easily understand, and the resolution revolves around healthy values that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.As an added incentive for children to read the book, this is all accomplished with the help of delightful animals! Not only are they delightful, but they are different and alike, just like people, and are depicted through beautiful full color illustrations. Llamas and alpacas have very similar characteristics but are different animals, and the alpacas learn that one bad llama doesn't make all llamas bad. They learn that they can be friends and that they can use their different talents and abilities to make life better for all of them by working together toward a common goal.In addition to teaching your child good character traits such as being a good friend, acceptance, forgiveness, understanding, trust, and perseverance, parents and teachers will like the other educational components that add to the book's value. "Big" words were intentionally included in the story and are addressed in a glossary detailing the pronunciation and the meaning of the word, how it is used in the book, and a question about the use of the word that will give the child an opportunity to think about real-life applications. There will also be a section that compares llamas and alpacas, and one that has real photographs of both animals with some humorous captions! A little word play in the text may induce some giggles, too!You will not be disappointed by choosing to purchase this book for your child or school. Unusual animals, colorful pictures, healthy values, and education. What more could you want?
