7 Books About Alligators and Crocodiles
One of the least talked about yet toughest parts of raising young children is the Alligator/Crocodile problem. Yes, sooner or later, every parent is going to be face to face (probably not literally) with an aquatic reptile and a curious child. “Which is it, Mommy?” they’ll ask. You’ll feign competence, then shrug and come up with one or the other (and pray they never become a herpetologist.) In the meantime, here are some toothy picture books that definitively confuse the issue.
{{ product: 9780547516189 }}Lyle, Lyle Crocodile Storybook Treasury, by Bernard Waber
Everyone should be so fortunate as to discover an erudite, well-traveled, famous crocodile lounging in the claw-foot bathtub of their newly purchased Victorian brownstone. Sure, the neighbors will cluck, and your budget, if not already stretched from purchase of said brownstone, will be taxed from all the Turkish caviar, but the benefits in housekeeping, entertainment, and affection will make it all worthwhile.
A Girl and Her Gator, by Sean Bryan and Tom Murphy
Please read this book sooner than later: the story of Claire and her gator. He appears in her hair; it gets weirder from there, though that fact never seems to deflate her.
I, Crocodile, by Fred Marcellino
This book should figure highly in any foreign policy debate, whether leaning pro-isolationism or pro-imperialism. Consider the tale (indeed, firsthand account) of the Egyptian crocodile peacefully existing and feeding in the sun who is abruptly captured (by Napoléon, no less) and put on display in a zoo in Paris. See how everything changes: his habits, his diet, his raison d’être…
There’s an Alligator Under My Bed, by Mercer Mayer
If your child hasn’t discovered that scary things can (and do!) lurk beneath their nighttime dwellings, this book is an ideal way to introduce the concept.
Crocodaddy, by Kim Norman and David Walker
This is the sweet, rhyming story of a boy and his Croccodaddy. A little boy stalks a familiarly dressed crocodile all around the lake, splashing and having a great time. The book’s plot is what the movie Lake Placid was based originally based on, but several rewrites have rendered it completely unrecognizable.
Alligators All Around, by Maurice Sendak
Alligators all around and not a crocodile to be found! This classic alphabet book features a family of alligators doing the things you’d expect alligators to do: making macaroni, ordering oatmeal, and being usually upside-down. You’ll learn about how alligators are shockingly spoiled, how they never nap, and that they love bursting balloons. My daughter presented most of the qualities of being an alligator, according to this book, until just recently. We are, understandably, relieved and also a bit disappointed.
The Crocodile Who Didn’t Like Water, by Gemma Merino
One little crocodile in a large family feels left out when his brothers and sisters go to swim club. For some reason, he can’t stand the water, and they’re too busy playing in it to notice his discomfort. The little crocodile is extremely unhappy, but really tries to find a way to fit in. Finally, when he’s just about to give up, he discovers something about himself that’s much, much better than forcing himself to be something he’s not.