Debut author Bromley stumbles with the wrapup to his self-referential story, closing with a weak “Where do you think he’ll turn up next?” Regardless, O’Byrne’s crocodile is a personable antihero—she underscores his disruptive nature by drawing him in a brash, aggressive style that contrasts mischievously with her soft, storybook duckling—and her integration of typography and action is consistently ingenious.
—Publishers Weekly
This is so engagingly interactive that it would make a fabulous app, and even in book form it will appeal to kids who relish the game-playing aspect.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
A clever way to get kids thinking about the infinite possibilities of stories.
—Booklist Online
By breaking the barriers, cleverly crafted books such as OPEN VERY CAREFULLY challenge and engage the reader in a special way—and amuse parents at the same time.
—BookPage
Bright reds and yellows, active line work, and plenty of white space create high energy and allow for the croc to interact with text and with the audience. This bold book will be effective as a group read-aloud, but some of the jokes will work well one-on-one, allowing children time to explore what the crocodile does with story and text.
—School Library Journal
Pure fun.
—Midwest Book Review
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