martin mckenna – Aussie Reviews

Adelaide wasn’t allowed to have pets. Not anymore.
Esepcially not one like Ozzy.
So Adelaide came up with a cunning plan.
She would disguise Ozzy
as her very own
crocodolly!

Adelaide is a very inventive young lady, so when she finds a baby crocodile in her carton of eggs, she decides that she can keep him, if she disguises him as a doll. It isn’t a problem while Ozzy is small, but Ozzy keeps groing and growing, and soon he is causing havoc all over town. When she can’t keep him any longer, Adelaide finds a place where his havoc could come in useful crushing junk at a recycling plant.

The Crocodolly is a funny picture book featuring a clever, caring main character, an unlikely pet and plenty of silliness, for a satisying combination which will please young readers. Olly is pretty endearing – for a crocodile – and the illustrations have lots of detail and comic elements including speech bubbles.

A laugh out loud, feel-good book.

The Crocodolly, by Martin McKenna
Omnibus Books, 2015
ISBN 9781742990712

One by one the toys were sold.
Nobody wanted Brown Bear.

It is nearly Christmas and a plain brown bear sits in the toy shop waiting to be bought. The other toys do clever things – singing carols or banging drums – but all Bear has is a big red bow. As the other toys are sold he finds himself sitting next to a big green crocodile, who doesn’t do anything special OR have a bow. As Crocodile frets about finding a home, Brown Bear does something very special – giving his bow to Crocodile. But, when Crocodile is sold, Bear wonders if he’ll ever be chosen.

The Gift is a gorgeous Christmas picture book story about giving and friendship. Brown Bear’s generous gesture helps his frined find a home and, eventually, he too finds a home, and even a new bow.

The text is lovely and the illustrations also simply beautiful. Rendered digitally, yet with a traditional toy shop feel, the toys have loads of character but are toy-like. not overly animated even when communicating. the people are represented chiefly by hands reaching and passing until the final lovely illustration of Brown Bear’s new young owner asleep, cuddling him.

The Gift would make a lovely Christmas present.

The Gift, by Penny Matthews & Martin McKenna
Omnibus Books, 2012
ISBN

Available from good bookstores or online.