Alligator Tails and Crocodile Cakes (I am Reading)

Author: Nicola Moon

Illustrator: Andy Ellis

Year: 1996

Publisher: Kingfisher Publications, London

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 46

Book Type: Chapter book for new readers, Paperback

ISBN: 978 0 75341 550 4

It was, and is probably, rare to have reptiles as the protagonists in a children’s book which is why this book piqued our interest.

Meet two friends, Crocodile and Alligator in two tales. Hide and Seek humorously shows how hard it is to hide when you have a big tail.

In the second story, the friends attempt to bake a cake while munching on the ingredients. Well, you can imagine how that turned out! :-)

The reptiles have been made as friendly as possible and the kids were just fine with it, too. In fact, our younger children lost their fear of the dreaded crocodile, which, until this book came along, has been their favorite villain.

Excerpt

“Coming, ready or not!” called Crocodile.

He looked to the left.

He looked to the right.

He looked up and he looked down.

And then …

“Found you! Found you! I can see your tail!” he sang. 

Dawdle Duckling

Author: Toni Buzzeo

Illustrator: Margaret Spengler

For Ages: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Puffin Books, USA

Year: 2005

ISBN: 978-014240-277-1

It’s an idyllic life – Mama Duck paddling away (sporting a smart hat tied down with a purple sash!) and three little ducklings swimming behind. But wait, there’s a fourth little duckling that “dawdles and dreams, preens and plays, splashes and spins.”

Almost, every family has a dawdle duckling. It seemed a little extreme that I used this colorful, rhyming book to alert our family's dawdler but then there are worse things than crocodiles out there in the real world.  

Excerpt

Past the marsh with the cattails waving, one Mama Duck paddles and quacks.

One, two, three ducklings swim behind, but the fourth little duckling dawdles and dreams, preens and plays, splashes and spins, dunks and dips.

“Quack! Catch up!” says Mama Duck.

Dawdle Duckling nibbles a tasty fly.

“NO! Quack! Quack! I won’t catch up!”

Five-Minute Jungle Tales

Author: Jan Payne

Illustrator: Peter Rutherford

Year: 2002

Publisher: Parragon Books, UK

Age: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 46

ISBN: 978 0 75257 002 1

This fantastic mini-collection of jungle tales has to be among the best animal tales I've read so far. The animals’ roles and habitat are mostly intact and yet each tale is packed with humor, wit and pragmatism that make it relevant to children.

The tales feature a monkey who wants to grow tall, rather quickly, a hippopotamus whose best friend is a hermit crab, a crocodile who can’t stop smiling, a lonely lion, an annoying tiger who copies others and a forgetful elephant.

Now, that ought to pique your curiosity. This is a must-have. :-)

Excerpt

So they built another house, this time of bamboo.

“This won’t blow away ,” said Custard.

But an elephant appeared. And, oh dear! Bamboo is an elephant’s favourite food.

“Yummy!” said the elephant. “Thanks for bringing me my breakfast!” And he stuffed Custard’s house into his mouth!