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Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33607002812967 | Picture Books | KULKA | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
Ernest's crocodile does not bite! It's very well trained. But when Ernest brings the crocodile to the school's pet show, his rival Cindy Lou gets very rude.All of Joe's stories are essentially jokes, and this one is no exception. A little boy brings his pet croc te school, insisting he does not bite. And he doesn't, technically.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-It's time for the annual pet show, and snotty Cindy Lou brags that her poodle is going to win. Ernest enters his gigantic crocodile. Despite Cindy Lou's protests that Gustave will bite everyone, Ernest repeatedly explains that his pet does not bite. The plot unfolds with comical, unexpected twists. When Gustave will not fit on the school bus, Ernest rides him to school. There the other students and even the principal take a liking to the huge, well-trained croc. Then a jealous Cindy Lou trips Gustave as he juggles, plays the harmonica, and rides a unicycle. During the fall, the croc swallows the harmonica, so Ernest reaches into his mouth and retrieves it. Wanting to show off Fifi's talents, Cindy Lou tosses a tennis ball, which rolls into Gustave's mouth with Fifi chasing after it. Cindy Lou crawls in to rescue her dog and is swallowed. The ending reveals Ernest winning the prize while the concluding illustration depicts Gustave riding the unicycle as he juggles Cindy Lou and Fifi. This fun read-aloud will keep listeners and readers chuckling. Kulka's spirited acrylic artwork gives personality to the characters and adds to the humor.-Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Absurdity abounds in Kulka's tale of a clever boy who knows that telling the truth-just not the whole truth-can be pretty entertaining. Ernest is excited for the school pet show, but when he tries to board the bus with his enormous pet crocodile, Gustave, heads turn and apprehension rises. "My crocodile does not bite! He's very well trained," Ernest assures everyone. After Ernest finally arrives at school-via Gustave, not via bus-the boy puts his pet through his paces and upstages the other students and their animals (at one point, Gustave juggles tennis balls while riding a unicycle and playing the harmonica), much to the chagrin of persnickety Cindy Lou and her puff of a puppy, Fifi. Although the characters' poses often come across as wooden, Kulka (Wolf's Coming) creates a quintessentially grumpy foil in sour-faced Cindy Lou, who's decked out in pigtails and a pink dress that matches the color of her poodle. While Kulka doesn't do much to create a sense of tension as the story progresses, the wicked twist of an ending should catch most readers by surprise. Ages 5-9. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.