Croc by the Rock (ReadZone Picture Books) - Softcover

Hilary Robinson is an author, broadcaster, and radio producer. She is the author of more than 40 books, including The Magical Book of Mix Ups (Spells and Smells), which won the Experian Big Three Award, and Prima Spiderina, which was shortlisted by the English Society for Best Picture Book. Mike Gordon is an illustrator whose works include The Frog Prince, I Feel Sad, and Pirate Pat.

K-Gr 2—This original story, first published in 2005, has been revised, and the illustrations and cover have been updated. The story features Jake, a very curious boy, walking down the road alone with just his fishing net in hand. As he prepares to fish off the bank, he sees something in the water and his imagination takes off. As other characters come by, Jake shouts "A croc by the rock" and they, too, are curious about what is in the water. An old man arrives in a van and lets his dog jump into the water while others come by with cameras and take photos. Much to everyone's surprise, the "croc" turns out to be just a ball. Jake goes home and comes back to fish in the afternoon and is shocked to find a croc's tooth in his net. A great many details are left to the reader's imagination. Intended for emerging readers, the text features a controlled vocabulary and a large typeface. Each short sentence features a rhyming completion on the next page. Simple illustrations propel the story at a measured pace. VERDICT An additional purchase where libraries are in need of very simple beginning readers.—Janene Corbin, Rosebank Elementary School, Nashville, TN