A Crocodile Should Never Skip Breakfast

PreS-Gr 2–Perhaps everyone has had that morning—there’s no time for breakfast. So begins Crocodile’s day. Hippo’s donut shop is sold out. The breakfast spread at work? Already eaten by coworker Boa Constrictor. Crocodile is off to work on the ferry on an empty stomach and so famished he begins daydreaming about eating his passengers. Recognizing this would be wrong, Crocodile concentrates on donuts. As a result, he fails to notice Hippo running along the river’s edge, attempting to get his attention. Suddenly Hippo is beside Crocodile yelling, “DONUTS!” Crocodile dumps his passengers in surprise. Together, the friends float on their backs and eat. Larmour’s gouache illustrations are vibrant with Crocodile in blue, Hippo in pink, and other animals their natural colors. The river is a contrasting green. The text is a combination of speech bubbles and narration. This is a great opportunity to create different voices for the characters. Crocodile’s cautionary tale could be used for various story-hour themes or one on one. Not to be taken as a serious endorsement of donuts, but rather a reinforcement to eat breakfast.