Once a Creepy Crocodile (Peter Taylor, illus by Nina Rycroft, The Five Mile Press)

Peter Taylor’s Once a Creepy Crocodile tells the story of an innocent baby brolga who meets a crocodile by the river and receives an invitation to afternoon tea. Aware of the possible danger that awaits, many bush animals warn the brolga not to fall for the crocodile’s delicious offerings. Luckily, the little brolga doesn’t come to a sticky end, but the wily crocodile does get to have a bit more than just his cake and biscuits. Refreshingly, the native animals featured in this picture book aren’t your standard roll call of kangaroos and emus, and include blossom bats, boobook owls and tree frogs. The illustrations by Nina Rycroft are eye-catching and colourful, and the text is written to be sung along to ‘Waltzing Matilda’. An accompanying CD by Rusty Berther of Scared Weird Little Guys fame will help parents to remember the tune if needed. Preschoolers will enjoy this cautionary tale, especially fans of The Gruffalo, of which the book is slightly reminiscent. The moral of the story? Never smile at a crocodile!

Katie Haydon is a former assistant editor of Books+Publishing and a freelance reviewer

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews