Papa Croc

Never judge a book by its cover. This is so true of this children's story, "Papa Croc". Using the medium of animal characters, the story highlights serious social issues related to family relationships. What is particularly refreshing about "Papa Croc", however, is that it addresses these issues in an appealing manner unlike the harshly graphic depictions that are so commonplace today in a range of media. The story also allows for the child's interaction with the text through recitation of a nursery rhyme that signals a meaningful movement towards the resolution of the plot that caters not only to the child's imagination, but to parents and teachers alike, in terms of the possibility for extending such a poignant narrative into a range of language, health and family life, and character education activities.