Come and Play, Mr Croc: A Flap and Pop-Up Book

PreS-K—Each spread asks the question, "Come and play, Mr Croc?" and Mr Croc replies each time that he's too busy looking for someone. It turns out that he's looking for all of the animals that were introduced on the title page. The book is filled with flaps that indicate where Mr Croc has looked for his friends: in the closet, under the bed, etc. If children look close enough, they will see a little white mouse hiding under one of the flaps on each spread, adding a fun seek-and-find element. As the story nears its end, Mr Croc is hiding, and his friends are now forced to look for him. Finally, he is ready to play. There are no fewer than five lift-the-flaps on every spread (often there are more), which make this book best for one-on-one sharing and unlikely to hold up to heavy circulation. The illustrations are reminiscent of Lucy Cousins's work, with vibrant colors and bold black outlines. While the interactive elements of this book are fun, there is nothing unique about them.—Lora Van Marel, Orland Park Public Library, IL