CROCODILES EVERYWHERE

Big life changes bring unexpected emotions.

After the protagonist’s best friend, Ana, moves away, the child experiences a whirlwind of feelings. The days seem to stretch on forever, and school feels different. Quietly, the crocodiles arrive. The brown one is loud, leaving overturned toys and household objects in the wake of her tantrums; the gray one’s sobbing fits keep the youngster from reading. Only the child can see them, and though the protagonist attempts to ignore them, they continue to intrude. Finally, on a family vacation, the youngster confronts both crocodiles: The child hugs the gray one (Sadness) and cries with her, then screams with the brown one (Anger) until their rage subsides. Having achieved catharsis, the young narrator feels much better and looks forward to spending a day with Ana in the future. Meza’s straightforward, compassionate text is firmly rooted in children’s natural—at times seemingly irrational—emotions. Created with paper, colored pencil, and Photoshop, her naïve, earth-toned illustrations make use of geometric shapes, complementing the story well. Sharp-eyed readers will spot Sadness and Anger lurking in the background of numerous spreads early on—underscoring the idea that complex feelings are always with us, even if we aren’t consciously aware of them. The protagonist is tan-skinned; other characters vary in skin tone.

An empathetic tale, ideal for helping little ones ride out the storm of turbulent emotions.