Since nobody, not even his mother, is likely to kiss an alligator, the would-be clever title is merely silly, which is a pity. Very little of this flippancy mars the content of an informative book which describes the characteristics and habits of the alligator, explains the differences between alligators and crocodiles, and explains why the chief enemy of the crocodile, mankind, should treat the great reptile with care and respect, as it is one of the few survivors of the dinosaur age. If the text is uninspired, the splendid color photographs more than compensate in this attractive and sturdy addition to junior science collections. --Joan McGrath, Education Centre Library, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.