Montanari, Eva. What Does Little Crocodile Say at the Birthday Party? Eva Montanari, Illus. Little Crocodile; bk. 4. Tundra, 04/2024. [36]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-77488-157-6. GRADES Baby/Toddler–Kindergarten. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Little crocodile enjoys fun and friends at his birthday party until a popped balloon causes tears to flow. The text is filled with onomatopoeia, such as “The wish goes whoosh. The cameras go click,” which can inspire the listeners to help make these sound effects as they pretend to blow out the candles on the cake. The pastel chalk cartoon artwork depicts animals in clothing, with sparse backgrounds that keep the focus on the characters. When used at storytime, the audience can call out both the sounds and “Happy Birthday!” and act out some of the action. This fourth entry in the series makes a great readaloud and fun for one-on-one sharing due to its relatable story.
Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool