A CROCODILE SHOULD NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST

A hungry crocodile tries to push through till lunch but may have to nibble on a customer or two.

Croc works as a river ferry. Various animal passengers sit on his back as he shuttles them down the waterway. One morning when Croc oversleeps, he has to forgo his usual bowl of Snappy Snacks. Frantic showering and tooth brushing (“Can’t / GURGLE / be / GARGLE / late / BLURG”) take precedence. He can’t even grab his favorite doughnuts on the way to work, because the Hippo Hut is all sold out! As animals climb aboard, Croc can’t help envisioning them as tasty snacks. The tension grows as Croc licks his lips, imagining a delectable meal of capybaras and a warthog hot dog. With eyes squeezed tight and fingers clamped around his jaws, he’s trying with all his might to resist. Just when Croc can’t take it anymore, a sweet friend with an even sweeter treat saves the day. Told mostly in speech bubbles, with a sassy unseen narrator who breaks in every once in a while, the story skips along at a fast clip but also leaves room for many dramatic pauses to heighten the effect. Larmour relies on a fanciful color scheme—dominated by pinks, greens, and blues—that keeps the tale from becoming scary, no matter how ravenous Croc gets.

A lively reminder about the most important meal of the day.