WHAT DOES LITTLE CROCODILE SAY?

Montanari presents Little Crocodile’s preschool day as a series of sounds, from the alarm’s “ring ring” to many “MUAH”s—kisses celebrating Big Crocodile’s return.

Visual cues disclose Little Crocodile’s increasing anxiety as they “hup hup” up the stairs to the classroom door, where a bespectacled caregiving elephant greets them. The multispecies playmates oink, meow, tweet, and ribbit; the “wolf says aroooo!” Except for the fact that these children are all animals, it’s an instantly familiar scene. “And what does Little Crocodile say? // WWWWAAH / WWWWAAH”—a meltdown sure to resonate with grown-ups galore. Many sounds (all conveyed in the author/illustrator’s hand lettering) are familiarly represented: the “splash” of water in the sink, the “vroom vroom” of the car. Refreshing additions include the zipper’s “zzzt,” the “bleep” of the car’s keyless lock, and the group lunch’s “nom nom nom.” Montanari’s simple crayon drawings tenderly telegraph the elephant’s expertise in easing Little Crocodile’s transition to the preschool setting. Cuddled on teacher’s lap for storytime, followed by some “rat-a-tat”-ting on a big drum, the croc is soon leading the line of trumpet-playing children. As the “nap goes ZZZ ZZZ,” the little ones, zonked, sprawl in an amusing array of positions. Big Crocodile’s arrival and a farewell “see you tomorrow!” wrap up an emotionally—and aurally—rich day.

This endearing take on a common preschool scenario will make an appealing read-aloud at home or school.