Book picks similar to
Watch Out for the Crocodile by Lisa Moroni


picture-books
children
childrens-books
children-s

Rosie the Raven


Helga Bansch - 2015
    Loving raven parents take their little Rosie just the way she is.In the beginning, Rosie tries to do everything her siblings do. She opens her mouth to receive worms from her parents, tries to caw until she is hoarse, and wildly flaps her arms in an attempt to fly. The neighbors offer encouragement. “Rub it with birch leaves. That will make its feathers grow!”Rosie finally realizes she is different. Maybe she can’t caw or fly, but a world of discovery awaits her nonetheless.Helga Bansch’s exquisite artwork of collages and colored images, including comic-style panels, bring humor, mood, and emotion to Rosie’s story. The reader is drawn to Rosie from the instant she pushes herself from the egg, smiling and happy to greet her family, oblivious to her differences.

Fatima's Great Outdoors


Ambreen Tariq - 2021
    Her family is headed to a local state park for their first camping trip! The school week might not have gone as planned, but outdoors, Fatima can achieve anything. She sets up a tent with her father, builds a fire with her mother, and survives an eight-legged mutant spider (a daddy longlegs with an impressive shadow) with her sister. At the end of an adventurous day, the family snuggles inside one big tent, serenaded by the sounds of the forest. The thought of leaving the magic of the outdoors tugs at Fatima’s heart, but her sister reminds her that they can keep the memory alive through stories—and they can always daydream about what their next camping trip will look like.

Duck, Death and the Tulip


Wolf Erlbruch - 2006
    Death, Duck and the Tulip will intrigue, haunt and enchant readers of all ages. Simple, unusual, warm and witty, this book deals with a difficult subject in a way that is elegant, straightforward, and thought-provoking.

Lost in the Library


Josh Funk - 2018
    The city is about to awake, and the lions absolutely must be in their places before the sun rises. Now, Fortitude must abandon his own post to find his best friend in the Library’s labyrinthine halls.

Pancakes for Findus


Sven Nordqvist - 1984
    Pettson wants to bake a birthday cake for Findus, who has three birthdays a year. But how will they get the eggs with the bull in the way? Findus and Pettson live in a ramshackle cottage in the country, with a henhouse, workshop, and woodshed. Their fascinating, magical world is inhabited by tiny creatures who move Pettson's things about when he isn't looking. Pancakes for Findus was the London Sunday Times "Children's Book of the Week" in December 2007. (Ages 4-8)

Walk with Me


Jairo Buitrago - 2008
    He will help her to pick up her baby brother from daycare and shop at the store (which has cut off the family’s credit), and he’ll keep her company all along the way until she is safe at home. He will always come back when she needs him, unlike the father whom she sees only in a photograph — a photograph in which he clearly resembles a lion.

The Runaway Dinner


Allan Ahlberg - 2006
    Will the famished boy ever catch them? And what (gulp) happens to Melvin if he does? Allan Ahlberg is in his element with this fast and funny tale, while Bruce Ingman's kid-friendly illustrations add visual comedy to the chase.

Look, It's Raining


Mathieu Pierloot - 2019
    Her parents are busy with their own projects, so she puts on her raincoat and goes outside to play. Suddenly she hears the thunder roar, and shivers with excitement. She sticks out her tongue to catch raindrops. They taste like clouds. She notices a group of red ants zigzagging along a trail and asks "Where are you going?" The ants reply, "We're going to a show." Camille embarks on an adventure to discover what the show is about and the astounding beauty to be found by closely observing her surroundings.

Be Nice to Spiders


Margaret Bloy Graham - 1967
    The lions snoozed all day long, the elephants enjoyed their baths, and the zebras ate their hay in peace -- all because Helen was spinning webs and catching flies.But one day Helen's webs were swept away. The Keeper had the cages cleaned for the Mayor's inspection tour. Soon the flies were back again and the animals were miserable once more. But not for long...Children will be fascinated and amused by the way Helen solved the problem and won a permanent place of honor for herself in the Zoo.Margaret Bloy Graham's pictures match the wit and charm of her delightful story.

My Pet Book


Bob Staake - 2014
    . . books! Books make the perfect pets, the boy decides, and chooses a bright red one. When it goes missing, a lively adventure is in store for readers who love a happy ending. Soon kids everywhere will wish for a pet book of their very own.

One Leaf Rides the Wind


Celeste Davidson Mannis - 2002
    This counting book introduces the youngest readers to the beauty and hidden secrets of a Japanese garden. It also introduces haiku, with ten poems that are simple and straightforward. The rhythmic haiku appear in a context that will make perfect sense to young readers. Each page contains additional information about the scene shown, and with lush illustrations, the loveliness of the garden can't be ignored. This is a picture book that works on many levels.

Except If


Jim Averbeck - 2011
    Which may become a baby bird, except if it becomes a baby snake instead. Except if the baby snake is really truly a dinosaur! In this young, clever, and whimsical picture book in the spirit of Not a Box and First the Egg, an egg is not just an egg, but a symbol of the potential a child's imagination holds. As each image melds smoothly, but unexpectedly, into the next, readers are invited to stretch the limits of their imagination.

Let Me Sleep, Sheep!


Meg McKinlay - 2019
    It's a good plan, until the cranky sheep land in his bedroom -- and start in with their many demands.It's bedtime for Amos, who smiles as he closes his eyes and counts some fluffy sheep trotting away in the grass. Until suddenly . . . THUD. And then another. "Not again!" says the first sheep, now on Amos's floor. "I was having my wool clipped," grumbles the second. None too happy at being interrupted, the woolly pair fire a battery of questions at Amos, most importantly: "Where's the fence?" So Amos sets out to build one to their specifications, then is asked to test it out, of course. . . . In this laugh-out-loud read-aloud, a couple of crafty sheep put a child through his paces -- and show that a tuckered-out kid at bedtime is a win-win all around.

Hello, Mr. Dodo!


Nicholas John Frith - 2017
    But one day she sees a bird unlike any other... Can that really be a dodo? It turns out that dodos make very good friends (and are crazy about doughnuts!). But when Martha's secret gets out and the whole town wants to see her new friend, will Martha have to say good-bye to Mr. Dodo?

Tea Party Rules


Ame Dyckman - 2013
    And she has several strong opinions on how Tea Party must be played. Cub tries to follow her rules . . . but just how much can one bear take, even for cookies? A laugh-out-loud funny look at the required give-and-take of playtime, Tea Party Rules is an eventual friendship story that will delight grubby cubs, fancy girls, and cookie lovers everywhere.