The unexpected crocodile by Kim Kane
Ill. by Sara Acton. Allen and Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781760111731
(Ages: 5+) Recommended. Picture book, Paperback edition, Cautionary
tale. The glorious scene of the unexpected crocodile turning up to
Peggy's place to join the family for dinner, will entice readers
into this book. With his bright red umbrella and jaunty red bow tie,
the crocodile almost swaggers into the house. It has rained for
weeks, and mum and dad have been frantically getting the sodden
house ready for their neighbours, but when answering the doorbell,
Peggy is surprised by the crocodile asking if the Dawsons have
already arrived. 10 minutes later, they do arrive, complete with
their three rather unlovely boys and a croquembouche that Mrs Dawson
has made for desert, telling everyone that the boys made it. The
boys each reject the food offered and the crocodile eats their
mother, boots and all. Later, when looking at the clock, he eats Mr
Dawson, and when the odious boys ask for croquembouche rather than
the coleslaw, he eats them too. A wonderful end to an obnoxious
family. This story will bring whoops of laughter from its
audience as the crocodile does the most unexpected things. Readers
will laugh as the crocodile dressed in his best bow tie turns up to
dinner, and whoop with delight when he eats the lying mother, the
timid father and the three nasty boys. Salting them first of course.
The wonderful illustrations will beguile the most diffident of
readers into the story, adding another level of humour to the words,
and acquainting them with a wide vocabulary as they read. Sara
Acton's website gives
further illustrations which children will love, particularly the one
of her on the home page, burrowing away with her drawing. Kim Kane's
other books include Pip, the story of Olive and The vegetable ark,
both of which are award winners. This is a paperback edition of the
book first published as a hardcover in 2012. It is great to see it
once more, and I laughed out loud all over again, as will the
readers.
Fran Knight