The Quiet Crocodile Goes to the Beach

by Natacha Andriamirado, Delphine Renon (Illustrator)

Overview

Fossil the quiet crocodile loves to go to the beach with his friends. Fippo the Hippo, Sonny the Bunny, Ryan the Lion, and all the rest jump right in and splash about in the waves while Fossil watches from the shore. Could it be that Fossil is scared of the water? What happens when Fossil finally joins them? Is he really as quiet as he seems? Readers can find, name, and count all of Fossil's boisterous friends, as well as the rings, racquets, fishing nets, and shells hidden in the delightful drawings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781616898014
Publisher:	Princeton Architectural Press
Publication date:	04/02/2019
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Natacha Andriamirado studied philosophy at the Sorbonne before she turned her attention to writing. The Quiet Crocodile books are her first to be published in English.

Paris-based Delphine Renon is a graphic designer and illustrator of numerous children's books.

Editorial Reviews

"This follow-up to Andriamirado and Renon's first book about Fossil (The Quiet Crocodile) is endowed with even more charm and off-beat humor than the original. The text is straightforward and feels as if it's being delivered with an affectionate smile, and the detailed colored-pencil and pen illustrations manage to depict plenty of activity and an abiding sense of calm at the same time. Young readers will surely dive into the fun!"
- Shelf Awareness

"This follow-up to Andriamirado and Renon's first book about Fossil (The Quiet Crocodile) is endowed with even more charm and off-beat humor than the original. The text is straightforward and feels as if it's being delivered with an affectionate smile, and the detailed colored-pencil and pen illustrations manage to depict plenty of activity and an abiding sense of calm at the same time. Young readers will surely dive into the fun!"
- Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher

2019-01-15

A beach-loving crocodile overcomes his fear of the water with the help of his animal friends in this French import.

Fossil, a flip-flop- and goggle-clad crocodile, happily carries a host of animals (and their beach paraphernalia) on his back. As the anthropomorphic animals play in both sand and water, Fossil remains motionless, as he "is scared / to go in the water." Finally, encouraged by his friends, the trepidatious reptile finally splashes in. The artwork, done with colored pencils and a pen, showcases simple, appealing characters who are introduced by name on the end pages, including Sonny, the bunny; Moomoo, the cow; and Piggy, the pig. Patterning is used to define different skin types and fur textures, and watching the busyness that surrounds Fossil as his friends play is highly diverting. However, unlike Richard Scarry's Busytown books—which also contain multiple, detailed vignettes per spread—aside from small beach hijinks, there is little connective tissue to propel readers forward or enhance the bare-bones storytelling. Still, some may find a place for it on the overcoming-a-fear-of-swimming bookshelf.

With the attractive illustrations and design living somewhat apart from the sparse text, this functions more as a fetching coffee-table book than a story. (Picture book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews

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