But the small flying alligator who turned up to guide him to Richmond seemed nice enough, and so did the large and well-dressed one who was waiting for him when he landed. And it turned out Kevin didn’t have to go into its mouth, only into the bookshop, which was called ‘The Alligator’s Mouth’. It was all rather confusing really, but there was a nice big plate of custard creams for him, so Kevin didn’t mind.
Suitably fortified, but still a little wary, he went inside the shop to interview bookseller Helen.
Kevin: What’s the best thing about being an alligator - I mean, a bookseller?
Helen: You mean, apart from the biscuit eating and tea drinking…? It’s definitely the feeling of community and making connections with the customers. There’s nothing better than finding the right book for the right child and seeing their faces light up when they’re hooked by the sound of a particular story.
Kevin: Mmmm, biscuit eating… What’s one way you’ve tackled a problem that your bookshop has faced during the pandemic?
Helen: Shifting to online selling and recommending from home – without all the shelves of books to choose from and getting to talk to the customers face to face – was a big learning curve that took a little getting used to at first. We offered customers the option of video calling us to try to recreate the way we recommend in the shop, moved our weekly storytime sessions online, and also started hand delivering to customers in the local area.
Kevin: What are three books you absolutely love hand-selling to customers?
Helen: All the Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys, Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure by Alex T. Smith, and You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson.
Kevin: Who is your favourite children’s book illustrator?
Helen: An impossible question to answer without reeling off a great list of names, but a perennial favourite is Joe Todd-Stanton.
Kevin: What is your favourite biscuit?
Helen: All of them! We enjoy many a kind of biscuit in Team Gator.
Kevin: That is the Correct Answer! And finally, what is the best way for people to buy books from you if they can’t visit the shop in person?
Helen: Online at thealligatorsmouth.co.uk!
You can follow The Alligator's Mouth on Instagram - alligatorsmouth - on Twitter - @alligatorsmouth - and on Facebook. And follow Kevin's tour at #ReeveAndMcIntyreBigUpBookshops!