Crocodile

Children's Literature

Mama crocodile appears to smile as she protects her eggs. Of course all crocodiles appear to smile, but the mama crock really does protect her eggs and her hatchlings as they scurry to the water. This concept book follows the young crocs from egg to adult using offset pages to highlight the different stages of development. The book begins with the egg for two pages, then—on slightly bigger pages—there is a spread about the inside of the egg, then bigger pages show the egg hatching, and so on through to adulthood. The writing is concise and clear and the pictures are interesting. My only complaint is that the amount of text remains the same even as the page size changes, so the layout on the last and biggest pages feels relaxed and open, whereas the beginning pages are crowded and may be difficult for early readers to follow. Backmatter includes a glossary and an index and another graphic showing the life cycle of the crocodile. 2004, Andromeda Children's Books, Ages 4 to 8.
—Amy S. Hansen

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-Both of these books have sturdy die-cut pages on the right-hand side that gradually become wider. Along the edges, the various stages in the animal's development are listed (e.g., in Ladybug, "The egg," "The egg hatches," "The larva," "Growing bigger," "Becoming a pupa," "A new ladybug," and "Life as an adult"). An illustration allows readers to flip easily to a particular topic. The clearly written texts cover habitat, food sources, hunting habits, and natural predators. Additional facts and labels for the various animals and vegetation found in that environment appear in smaller-sized text. The colorful, realistic illustrations have the clarity and focus of photographs; they depict numerous details and show the changing conditions in that particular environment. In each title, the glossary and index are creatively intertwined and a complete life-cycle guide is appended. These offerings have child appeal as well as solid information.-Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio, TX Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.