Poor Crocodile! What is there to do when a need to nosh is thwarted by a lack of anything appetizing in the fridge or local community garden, distracting crowds running away in terror from the farmers' market and grocery store, and nothing in the pond ("No bacon or bologna, no lamb chops or linguiça") besides some wary flamingos? "Crocodile so hungry," Sumner writes in her clipped, handwritten narrative, "starting to get HANGRY!" In Martz's simply drawn, tongue-in-cheek cartoons, the scaly snack-seeker leaves havoc and high anxiety in its wake as it trots effortlessly from swamp to city and back, crying "crocodile tears" (of sadness, not the insincere sort). At long last, it comes to the realization that there is no need to seek out food when it can be summoned by a simple phone call. Readers with rumbling tummies will certainly sympathize with Crocodile, and revel in a resolution that gives delicious new meaning to "slice of life."

PreS-K--This deceptively simple book will delight readers of all ages. It succeeds so well because the author creates a character and story line that run counter to all expectations. The main character is a hungry crocodile, and readers will expect him to be ruthless to satisfy his hunger. They won't expect a crocodile who is completely clueless. When the crocodile sets off in search of food at a nearby refrigerator, a farmer's market, and a community garden, he has no idea that his very presence will lead to panic. He is shocked that he ruins the farmer's market, and everyone leaves screaming. He can't fathom why his "acrobatic feat" to reach the grocery store cart is met with screams rather than applause. Young readers will giggle each time the crocodile fails to get something he wants to eat. The bright green and pink illustrations, which will remind readers of the loose-lined cartoons of Sandra Boynton, are a perfect match for the text, capturing the crocodile's emotions through adjustments to the eyes and eyebrows and alterations in just how many of crocodile's gleaming, deadly teeth are showing. Like the text, the illustrations keep readers guessing as to what the crocodile will actually eat until the final page. VERDICT Giggles guaranteed in this hilarious easy reader; a nice piece of overturned expectations, sure to delight.--Sally James