Lyle at Christmas

Lyle the Crocodile #8

by Bernard Waber

Christmas is an especially festive time for everyone's favorite crocodile, Lyle. Lyle loves Bird and Loretta the cat, who live with Mr. Grumps. He loves East 88the Street and the house he shares with the Primms, and his mother. Lyle's only problem is that he can't decide what he wants for Christmas. However not everyone is filled with holiday cheer. Mr. Grumps has the holiday blues--so much so that even his adored cat, Loretta, has had it with miserable Mr. Grumps. And then, just a few days before Christmas Loretta disappears and the entire neighborhood joins Mr. Grumps in the hunt for the lost cat. Now Lyle knows exactly what he wants for Christmas--the safe return of his good friend. Will he be able to find Loretta before Christmas and restore the holiday cheer to East 88th Street?

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Holiday, Cats

48 pages, Hardcover

First published October 26, 1998

About the author

Bernard Waber was the youngest in a creative family. At age 8, he ushered in a movie theater after school, so he often saw only the last ten minutes of a movie. He made a game of inventing beginnings and middles. When he returned from a tour of duty in World War II, he entered the Philadelphia College of Art. With a diploma and a new wife, he traveled to New York City, where he began working for the Condé Nast magazines as an illustrator. Reading books to his three children inspired him to apply his pen and ink and watercolor style to his own picture books. His first book, Lorenzo, was built in 1961. Today, his characters are some of the most beloved in the library. He and his wife, Ethel, live on Long Island.

Reviews

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent Christmas story, and a great addition to the Lyle series. Waber's cartoon illustrations are cheerful and bright, wholly in keeping with the story.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

My children loved this book. The story and illustrations are delightful! It is truly a classic. Please read it with your young children:)

[Brian Baker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a good Christmas story. I feel the last 2 stories in the Lyle series were nothing like the others. I don’t like how once again someone went to jail.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, and let me say that again, FINALLY a story for children that actually falls within the age range that has been referenced too! I was pleased to see that this story was for the age ranges of 4-7, and then even happier when reading this short-story to see that it was perfect for my five year-old.

"Lyle at Christmas" was very good from the beginning until the end. Lyle is a crocodile that has a nurse for a mother, also a crocodile, and lives with a nice family in an apartment building. The next door neighbor of this strange, but lovely, little family loses his cat at the most important time of the year.

I highly recommend this story, it was very well written and the illustrations were wonderful!

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Eighth book in the Lyle Crocodile series.

Christmas is in the air. Everyone is cheery, except....Mr. Grumps. Loretta, his cat, has had enough of his moods, and leaves. She is taking home by the neighborhood cat lady. This makes her miss home quickly. Meanwhile, the Primms, and Mr. Grumps are looking for her.
We discover that Signor Valenti lives in he same building as Prunella Kitt, the cat lady.
Later, when Signor Valenti is at this housecleaning job, the notices Mrs. Primm and Lyle putting up posters, and mentions he knows where the cat is now.
After the return of Loretta, everyone gathers at the Primms house for Christmas dinner.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

As with the first one, I saw nothing particularly special here. Yes, I'm not the target market, but I will absolutely enjoy a good kid's book when presented with one. Go find his Nobody is Perfick instead, which I think is brilliant and charming.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book because they save a cat or someone else saved the cat.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the side stories in the Lyle books. Due to all his good intentions, Lyle ends up somewhere unexpected

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was heart warming and a little funny too.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why would you run away lorreta anyway 3/5

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting. I like Christmas stories. I liked some of the others better.

[Lauren☂︎☼♤☘︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

iconic.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this Lyle book, he is excited about Christmas. However, his neighbor, Mr. Grumps is not. He has the blahs. His cat and Lyle's friend, Loretta gets tired of it a decides to run away. Everyone tries to help find her. This one just wasn't that great. The story is bizarre and not really about Christmas. It lacks the charm of the others.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lyle spends the holiday season searching for his neighbor Mr. Grumps' cat Loretta. Little does he know - the puss has already been taken in by the local Cat Lady. I enjoyed the illustrations, the story . . . not as much.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not near as charming as the original - and barely about Christmas.

[Yxiong001]

LEX: 410L

[Shawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Long, boring, weird.

[The Book Box]

Mama read this to me after my nap.