Overview
Crocs are wild when riled,But, usually mild Milder than a mouse
And they want to assure you They love you, adore you!
Which is why they've moved into your house
Crocs populate scary movies, fenced-in zoo enclosures, and nightmares. But what if a horde of crocs moved in with you?
A boy in need of a vacation heads to a tropical island, expecting rest and relaxation until a horde of crocodiles descend upon him. In David Greenberg's disgustingly funny version, crocs drink Tabasco sauce, get tangled in dental floss, and turn the house in a swamp. In the dramatic climax, the biggest croc of all reveals himself, and in a surprising twist, crowns our hero the king of the crocs. Fans of Snakes!, Slugs, Bugs! and Skunks! will delight in this newest celebration of a creepy creature.
Synopsis
Crocs are wild when riled,
But, usually mild Milder than a mouse
And they want to assure you They love you, adore you!
Which is why they've moved into your house
Crocs populate scary movies, fenced-in zoo enclosures, and nightmares. But what if a horde of crocs moved in with you?
A boy in need of a vacation heads to a tropical island, expecting rest and relaxation until a horde of crocodiles descend upon him. In David Greenberg's disgustingly funny version, crocs drink Tabasco sauce, get tangled in dental floss, and turn the house in a swamp. In the dramatic climax, the biggest croc of all reveals himself, and in a surprising twist, crowns our hero the king of the crocs. Fans of Snakes!, Slugs, Bugs! and Skunks! will delight in this newest celebration of a creepy creature.
Children's Literature
A young boy takes his cat and dog and leaves the city because of all the horrifying critters. He is tired of dealing with giant tabby cats, defiant scabby rats, roaches, pigeons, wild poodles, squirrels and fleas with tiny fangs. The three travelers arrive on a tropical island. They feel secure in their hammock enjoying the birds and the breezes. They have no notion that all around them the ocean is filled with tons of terrifying crocs. The boy becomes suspicious that something is not right. Then he becomes paranoid. Suddenly, he is smothered by a tidal wave of crocs. They growl and howl and thrash and smash. They come in disguises and all kinds of sizes. But they really adore the boy, so they move into his house. The boy and the cat adjust to the mess and live in peace until the day their island reveals its true nature. Then they stay on as royalty. Written in verse, the story is pure joyful nonsense. The expressive illustrations capture the drama of this wild imaginative adventure. A fun choice for storytime reading. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.
Editorials
Children's Literature -
A young boy takes his cat and dog and leaves the city because of all the horrifying critters. He is tired of dealing with giant tabby cats, defiant scabby rats, roaches, pigeons, wild poodles, squirrels and fleas with tiny fangs. The three travelers arrive on a tropical island. They feel secure in their hammock enjoying the birds and the breezes. They have no notion that all around them the ocean is filled with tons of terrifying crocs. The boy becomes suspicious that something is not right. Then he becomes paranoid. Suddenly, he is smothered by a tidal wave of crocs. They growl and howl and thrash and smash. They come in disguises and all kinds of sizes. But they really adore the boy, so they move into his house. The boy and the cat adjust to the mess and live in peace until the day their island reveals its true nature. Then they stay on as royalty. Written in verse, the story is pure joyful nonsense. The expressive illustrations capture the drama of this wild imaginative adventure. A fun choice for storytime reading. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.School Library Journal
K-Gr 3- Unpredictable, this story is a bit like a submerged crocodile; you never know what it might do next. The rhyme opens with an illustration of a red-headed boy, flanked by a cat and a dog, looking out the back of a yellow cab ("It really is a pity/that you had to leave the city/Because of all the horrifying critters"). Among the pests are "Roaches in your omelets/Pigeons dropping bomblets/Wild poodles stalking you in gangs." The child goes to an island where there are "birds and butterfly/Breezes flutter by...," and finds himself in a hammock where crocodiles are everywhere and about to stage, what initially appears to be, a coup. The zany illustrations-done in mixed-media, soft-palette watercolors with pen and ink-use plenty of white space and add humor and charm to the perfect-pitch verses. The crocs are the storybook kind and will win readers over. Who can resist "A crocodile chef with a wok/Crocodile teens/In sagging jeans/crocodile fireman, crocodile cop?" A superb read-aloud.-Teresa Pfeifer, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, Springfield, MA