Gemma Merino presents us with this very simple but beautifully told tale of a little crocodile who longs to play with his brothers and sisters, but hates to be in his natural habitat, the water. He is left out and alone until he finally can't stand it anymore and decides to get himself a rubber floating ring.
But even with his wonderful new contraption, the little crocodile still does not like the water, he can't play games properly, he can't swim under the water, and in the end, he very embarrassingly needs to be rescued.
Just as he has given up on ever fitting in, the little crocodile sneezes. A very big, ginormous fiery sneeze. And the little crocodile discovers that he may not be the crocodile that he thought he was after all!
A wonderfully fun story that delivers big impact in a small amount of words, the simplicity of the text is perfect for the little ones who won't sit still for very long, but the twist of the story line will appeal to older children as well, making The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water a wonderful read aloud story for a wide age group of kids, and thus perfect for sibling story time.
Merrino's illustrations are whimsical and extremely expressive, capturing the lowest lows and the deepest of joys of the characters, drawing readers in to the little crocodile's emotional turmoil. I can't wait to explore more titles from such a gorgeous talent!
Title: The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water
Author/Illustrator: Gemma Merino
Publisher: Pan Macmillan, $14.99
Publication Date: 6 June 2013
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781447214717
For ages: 3-6
Type: Picture Book
