Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
Written by Bernard Waber
Children's Picture Book Ages 3-8
Rating: 5/5

Lyle the Crocodile is doing pleasantly well at his home on East 88th Street, but Mr. Grumps and his cat Loretta will do anything to make sure that Lyle is out of the neighborhood for good!

Opinion: This book is hilarious. The character's are so developed for it being a picture book! Lyle tries to convince Mr. Grump's skeptical feline that he really is nice, but his sheepish attempts only make Loretta more angry. Mrs. Primm takes Lyle antique shopping for a couple of days to give Mr. Grumps time to settle down, when a whole mess of circumstances happen. Lyle ends up getting lost in the department store, performing a show with Signor Valenti, getting shipped off to the zoo, and saving Mr. Grump's life in a house fire. Nevermind the fact that Lyle plays hide-and-go-seek with the children and wears a red scarf. He is a friendly household crocodile who will hold a place in everyone's hearts!

Curriculum Connection: This is a nice, pleasant book to read as an opening or use when the children are getting anxious or bored. It could be in a lesson on language arts as well because there is a lot of rich vocabulary and rhyming in it, or it could be used in a writing activity about an imaginary pet the kids could have (that is not conventional like a dog or cat). It could also be acted out as a class because there are many characters that have their own personalities. However it is used, I think kids will love it!