A Crocodile in the Family is an uplifting story about family in all forms set in the Australian bush.
When a delightful family of birds stumble upon a lonesome little egg, they take it home and care for it like it’s their own. When the egg cracks and a smiling crocodile pops out, the birds are thrilled to meet their new family member, taking him in their stride and adapting to his needs.
Even when Croccy grows bigger and stronger, the family is not deterred by his sharp teeth or the concern of the animals living around them. In fact, as time goes on, Croccy becomes quite popular, impressing and benefiting everyone in the bush with his unique and natural abilities; his family couldn't be happier. A comforting message about the meaning of family, belonging and acceptance shines through in this gorgeous story.
I adore the bright, wonderfully contrasting and textured illustrations, they lift the story adding humour and cheeky pops of character. A scene showing Croccy as a coat rack for his friends' hats is my favourite; it made me laugh and melted my heart all at once.
A Crocodile in the Family would be great to share with groups learning about diversity in families or simply as lovely bedtime reading.
Kitty Black is an emerging author based in Perth, Australia, her previous release Who’s Afraid of the Quite Nice Wolf was her debut title. Daron Parton has been illustrating for over 20 years and has an amazing variety of illustration styles, two of his previous books include The Ultimate Survival Guide to Monsters Under the Bed and Dinosaur Disco.
Title: A Crocodile in the Family
Author: Kitty Black
Illustrator: Daron Parton
Publisher: Hachette Australia, $16.99
Publication Date: 25 August 2020
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780734419507
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book
