The Christmas Crocodile by Bonny Becker

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The Christmas Crocodile by Bonny Becker, Illustrated by David Small

Received: Library
Rating: 💖💖💖

Summary (From Amazon):  When Alice Jayne finds a crocodile under the tree on Christmas Eve, her family goes into an uproar! The Christmas Crocodile doesn’t mean to be bad, not really, but soon he is eating up Christmas—from the dinner roast to the left stove-top burner…even the Christmas tree! Everyone has an opinion about what to do with him. Uncle Theodore suggests they send him to Africa, Father recommends the zoo, and Aunt Figgy mentions an orphanage. But Alice Jayne thinks the Christmas Crocodile deserves a real family. Can she find him a new home? And will she and the family survive till Christmas morning, with that naughty crocodile gobbling up everything in sight?

Things I enjoyed: 

1. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful. While the book does not specify a year for the setting, an introduction by Nancy Pearl says the illustrations are meant to depict the Edwardian period. I love the old-fashioned Christmas feel of the book. The illustrations are 💖💖💖💖💖. While I enjoyed the story, it didn't wow me. I thought it was cute and fun, though. 

2. Alice Jayne...What a lovely name! I love double names, especially classic double names. 

3. I found myself smiling and even chuckling a few times while reading this book. I especially found Aunt Figgy to be a funny character! 

4. Christmas!! My most favorite time of the year. I love anything set during the Christmas season. It just makes my heart all warm and fuzzy.

I would recommend this book for the illustrations alone. The illustrations just bring the book to life, and I flipped back through the book after reading it, just to look at the pictures. It is a cute story, and I think children would love the unconventional inclusion of a crocodile in a holiday story. 

Check out The Christmas Crocodile HERE

Journey by Aaron Becker

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Journey by Aaron Becker

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Received: Library

Rating: 💖💖

Summary: 

A 2014 Caldecott Honor Book 

Follow a girl on an elaborate flight of fancy in a wondrously illustrated, wordless picture book about self-determination — and unexpected friendship.

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart’s desire? With supple line, luminous color, and nimble flights of fancy, author-illustrator Aaron Becker launches an ordinary child on an extraordinary journey toward her greatest and most exciting adventure of all.

I picked this book up at the library solely based on the fact that it had a gorgeous cover and was a Caldecott Honor Book.  I read the cover description but actually didn't flip through the book. Ummm....Didn't realize that this book is illustrations only until I got home. That's right...no words in this book. Honestly, I think if I'd realized that, I wouldn't have checked it out. The illustrations are pretty, and it is a neat, different idea to have a book told in pictures only. I think the thought behind this is that the "reader" has to use their imagination to fill in the story, and the story is about a girl using her imagination to go on this journey. So,kinda cool, right? With all that being said, I think I would have liked a written story to go along with the illustrations. 

You can check this book out HERE