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Counting Crocodiles is a truly enjoyable tale of a clever little monkey who outwits "just enough" crocodiles
to get what she wants.
Judy Sierra's text is delightful to read with its rhyme and meter. Many rhyming picture books force the rhyme,
but Sierra does no such things. The book begins with "On an island in the middle of the Sillabobble Sea / lived
a clever little monkey in a sour lemon tree. / She ate lemons boiled and fried, / steamed, sauteed, pureed and dried. / She
ate lemons till she cried, / 'I'm all puckered up inside!'" I especially like the last line, describing the monkey being
"puckered inside" from eating so many lemons. What a perfectly vivid description! The description and cadence
of the text provide ample read aloud opportunities. As Lisa Falk said, "The fullpage spreads carry well for group sharing,
while the rhyming verse incorporates rhythm changes in the most delectable manner, creaking a book that is meant to be read
aloud" (Falk, 1997).
Will Hillenbrand's illustrations perfectly match the delightfulness of the text. Chief among the delights is the
details expressed in each illustration. Among my favorites are the various kitchen utensils of the monkey hanging from
his lemon tree (frying pans, spatula, blender, rolling pen), a crocodile reading a recipe book called "Monkey Soup," another
crocodile reading "Goldilocks and the 3 Crocs," and a crocodile playing a "Croc Concerto" by Johann Sebastian Croc.
In the opening illustration, yellow crocodile eyes are hidden among the wave peaks in the ocean - another exciting detail
to look for. The visual jokes of the illustrator will appeal to older readers while the counting and rhythm of the book
will appeal to younger ones.
While reading this book to a group of preschool kids during storytime, I found the kids were a little worried the crocodiles
might, at any moment go CHOMP! and eat the clever monkey right up. But the monkey prevails, making the delight of the
book even more exciting.
Sierra, Judy. Counting Crocodiles. Illus. by Will Hillenbrand. San Diego: Gulliver Books
-Harcourt Brace & Co., 1997.
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