This Is a Crocodile

Constable, Evhy

ISBN 10: 0027243206 ISBN 13: 9780027243208

Publisher: Atheneum, 1986

Synopsis

Unable to resist showing off for a crowd of onlookers, a crocodile balances a host of unusual objects--from a can of purple paint to a fishing pole to a Roman bust--on his snout

About this title

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1 A show-off crocodile balances an odd assortment of objects on his nose while an audience gathers. He adds items such as a goose decoy, an antique tureen, and a dressmaker's dummy to the precarious pile. When he takes a bow, the pail of paint on top spills to make him a purple crocodile. Undaunted, he continues showing off. Although this cumulative story is thin, the book might hold the interest of some preschoolers if they take the time to observe all of the background activity. Unfortunately, Constable's full-color illustrations are not bright or engaging enough to attract immediate attention, and much of the action will sail over the heads of most preschoolers, with all the antics, entrances, and exits of the characters in the crocodile's audience. This book requires an interested adult to explain what many of the objects are and to point out all the action to a child. Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, Minn.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly

This quirky cumulative tale is pure fun. An exhibitionist crocodile balances a number of unlikely things on his snout, as the text names the objects: a rutabaga, a lute, a goose decoy, a dressmaker's dummy and so on. An unusual crowd gathers to watch, including an ostrich, a bear with a bagpipe and a rooster in a brown paper bag. Although this would have been an apt format for an alphabet book, there's little plot here; there is, however, an abundance of style and sheer enjoyment. The cocky croc exudes personality, especially when he takes a bow and his tower tumbles. Covered with purple paint (a pail of which he'd formerly balanced), he never falters, as the book ends with the beginning of a new cycle, "This is a purple crocodile . . . showing off."
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Atheneum
• Publication date: 1986
• ISBN 10: 0027243206
• ISBN 13: 9780027243208
• Binding: Library Binding
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 24