Críctor

by Tomi Ungerer

When Madame Bodot receives a boa constrictor for her birthday, he soon becomes a lovable pet, as well as a hero.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Humor, Classics, France

36 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Jean-Thomas "Tomi" Ungerer was a French illustrator best known for his erotic and political illustrations as well as children's books.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I do find the general storyline of Tomi Ungerer’s 1963 picture book Crictor somewhat amusing (and yes, I have certainly found the serpentine alphabet and numbers, not to mention how Crictor fights off the burglar sufficiently engaging), since I have never been all that much a fan of very cartoon-like illustrations and also do find snakes a wee bit horrid (even though they are amazing animals), I really cannot say that I have all that much truly enjoyed Crictor on both a reading pleasure and visual aesthetics level. Yes, Crictor is seemingly considered a classic, and also appears to be beloved by many, but I have personally found Tomi Ungerer’s presented narrative for Crictor only mildly entertaining at best, have tended to wonder at the woefully un-snakelike manner in which Crictor is approached and cared for, and actually also consider at least some of the accompanying illustrations peculiarly strange, and possibly even verging on being inappropriate (for while as an adult, I can and do laugh and smirk a bit at the image of Crictor basically fixedly staring at the old lady's backside while she is measuring him and is in another picture taking Crictor for a walk, really and in my humble opinion, these two illustrations could almost be deemed as potentially sexual in nature and as anal fixation).

And although I well realise that Crictor is meant to be a rather fantastical tale about a little old lady from France receiving a rather unusual serpentine pet for her birthday, the fact that the poor snake is sent to her through the mail in a cramped and constricting cardboard box (with likely no air holes and no food or water available), and as someone who kind of loves all animals and wants and needs both wild and pet animals, both domesticated and wild creatures to be humanely approached and humanely transported if that becomes necessary, the method how Madame Bodot's nephew (who is supposedly even a snake expert) is shown textually and illustratively by Tomi Ungerer shipping Crictor to her, this really does bother me to no end, and indeed, my realisation that Crictor is a fantasy does not change my annoyance and personal frustration with this enough for me to consider but two stars as a ranking for Crictor (well, actually two and a half stars).

Finally, I also do have to wonder if I would appreciate Crictor considerably more now and as an older and often rather academically inclined adult, had I also read this book as a young child, or more to the point, had I had Crictor read to me or with me as a young child. For there are indeed a goodly number of especially animal-based fantastical, patently unrealistic picture books that have high star ratings for me simply because of nostalgia, just because I remember loving them as a toddler.

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many books by Tomi Ungerer and I have just recently stumbled upon this book called “Crictor.” “Crictor” is a French story by Tomi Ungerer and it is about how an old friendly woman named Madame Louise Bodot gets a boa constrictor for a pet and the two of them become the best of friends. “Crictor” is the perfect story of true friendship that will be an instant favorite for children for many years!

A long time ago in France, there live an old lady named Madame Louise Bodot and she had a son who was in Africa, studying reptiles. One morning, Madame Bodot received a package and when she opened it, she found a boa constrictor! At first she was frightened by the boa constrictor, but then she started to care for the boa constrictor and called it Crictor. Madame Bodot did everything with Crictor, including going out shopping together, Crictor staying in Madame Bodot’s class and talk walks through snow together. One night however, a burglar snuck into Madame Bodot’s house and tied her up and…

Of all the books I have read from Tomi Ungerer, this one was the most subtle and heartwarming and subtle book I have ever read! Tomi Ungerer has done an excellent job at both illustrating and writing this heartwarming book about the true power of friendship! Tomi Ungerer has truly woven a great story about an unlikely story between a woman and a boa constrictor and I loved the way that Madame Bodot and Crictor became fast friends despite the fact that they are different species and I loved the way that they have been there for each other whenever things get tough. What I really loved about this book was that Crictor the boa constrictor is shown as being a kind-hearted and resourceful snake who is willing to help everyone in need, since I have always read many books where snakes were shown as the villains of the story, so this was a breath of fresh air for me. Tomi Ungerer’s illustrations are very simplistic, as there are only green, black, white and red coloring (which is basically only four colors used in the whole book), but they are extremely cute, especially of the image of Crictor itself as it is long, green and has innocent looking eyes. I really loved the images of Crictor helping out everyone in the neighborhood as it is able to bend its body in several different ways, such as spelling out the alphabet for the school kids, to help people.

All in all, “Crictor” is simply a wonderful and heartwarming story about the power of friendship that many children will definitely love for many years! I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since the scene where Madame Bodot is attacked by the burglar might scare smaller children.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[J. Boo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute, as snakes go. A bit of bonus educational content (Crictor makes the shapes of letters and numbers for a few pages.) Rather surprised it didn't hatch a sequel.

[Velma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haunt the free boxes, thrift stores, and secondhand bookshops in my small town, & lately I've been indulging my nostalgia for well-loved copies of some of the well-loved titles from my 1960s-1970s childhood. Yesterday I revisited Crictor, a long-forgotten but immediately familiar favorite from my reading past. Maybe because my mother had a serious phobia of snakes but tried to avoid passing it on to her daughters, we read this book early and often. Still loved all these years (and they are legion) later, it still tickles me. Maybe I'll dig out my copy of Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems and Drawings of Shel Silverstein and compare Crictor to Shel's boa constrictor.

[Stay Fetters · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Crictor also had a warm, comfortable bed. There he would dream happily, under his palm trees."

You never know what you’re going to get with Tomi and it’s always a pleasant surprise with his work. This one is my absolute favorite.

I had a boa constrictor as a child and it was the best damn pet I had growing up. I’m not saying ever because Lou dog takes that cake. So I know how loyal and loving snakes can be.

This story was fantastic. At first, Madam was scared but you know what!? She grew fond of that little guy and he helped her out when she needed him the most. You never know what you’ll love until you give it a chance.

[Manny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the few books I have read in German (you see what kind of level I am at) so I probably didn't get all the jokes. A pleasant story showing that not all snakes are bad - one of Ungerer's big things is fighting prejudice against minorities. Even very small children would probably like it.

[Jane G Meyer · Rating 1 out of 5]

A stylish old French woman is surprised by the gift her son sends from far off Africa. Crictor, the imaginatively named boa, becomes a beloved pet, spoiled to the point of hand-knit sweaters...

Okay, at first glance I thought I was going to love this book. The cover is intriguing, really-adorable, and what boy doesn't love snakes? Both mine do.

I was reading along to my five year-old and the story was progressing, the style of the illustrations really sweet, when all of a sudden the old lady was being robbed at knife-point, bound in a chair, and the boa constrictor was saving the day. I don't mind the saving the day part, nor do I mind adventure, but my son has never even considered being robbed, and bound, and knives and all that, and he had this great big question mark-look on his face. We were both shocked, really. He didn't want to read it again. And I wasn't in the mood to have a day's worth of conversations about thievery.

So, that... and not to mention that the habitat of boa constrictors is South and Central America, not Africa. I learned that with my other son, when he was just a toddler and we were living inside reptile books for a while.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that I remember fondly from my childhood. It seemed so familiar to me that I just recently realized that I had not yet read it with our girls. So I definitely had to fix that!

We found this book at our local library as part of a kit with an audiocassette of the story. It's lovely to listen to the story being read aloud by Faith Stanfield (with music by Ernest V. Troost) while following along with the book and I highly recommend this story to parents of young children. It's a fun and classic tale that has withstood the test of time.

[Alberto Martín de Hijas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un cuento infantil entretenido y con buenas ilustraciones.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very imaginative, but I wish it had been more accurate to snake behavior.

[Shanna Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crictor is another old story about a wild animal who finds his place in a human home. This boa constrictor arrives in Madame Bodot's home in a doughnut-shaped box, shipped from Africa by her thoughtful herpetologist son. After her initial surprise, she accepts him as if he were any other kind of pet and he quickly finds his place in her neighborhood and community -- playing with the children and (like Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and The Story of Babar) helping with their educational instruction. The story culminates when Madame Bodot's home is invaded by a burglar, who is subdued by Crictor until the police arrive (drawn by the burglar's terrified screams). He gains the admiration of the entire village, and lives a long and happy life.

The book, printed before the high-tech revolution in children's book publication, initially seems humbly illustrated with only two colors, but the limitations of the technology do not greatly hinder Ungerer's excellent writing, wry humor and sinuous lines. Madame Bodot and Crictor are each admirable in their own way -- she in her generous service to the community, he in his loyal courage in defending her. This old story retains its charm, and is well worth reading.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crictor failed to capture my attention, though its whimsical illustrations certainly have their charm. I found, however, that I had more interest in finding the mice or spiders hidden within the drawings (think the mouse in Goodnight, Moon) than in the narrative. The idea that a son would send a boa constrictor to his mother from Africa was completely unbelievable, especially given the boa's natural habitat of Central and South America. Add to this the animal's survival during transit and Madame Bodot's subsequent adoption of the pet, not to mention the boa's ability to learn the alphabet and basic numerals, and you have a preposterous premise. The book's tension, in the form of a crime spree in Madame Bodot's Paris neighborhood, does not arise until late in the book, leaving readers to yawn through early descriptions of the snake's new life in France. Boring! And really, does the snake's capture of ONE thief merit a naming a statue and park after him? I don't think so. Save your energies for Goodnight, Moon, a credible and well-researched story of a rabbit reading a bedtime story to her rabbit child.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly strange book about a woman in France who is given a boa constrictor from her son in Africa. (My Pet Peeve: When books refer to "Africa" as though there is no difference between Lesotho and Egypt. But this book dates from the 1950's, so I guess it was normal for the time.)

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid. Don't know how I could have neglected adding this to my shelves.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ungerer's name of the cover caught my eye at the library. After reading through it, I'm pretty sure I did read it as a child, although the only part I remember is Crictor catching the burgler.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly, I've read more Dahl than Ungerer as I kept thinking this snake would eat someone. Here's to happy ending snake books. Ranks high on the quirky scale (as does most Ungerer) and low on the snake fear factor. Great for storytime. Best for ages 3-5.

[alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

“il aimait jouer avec les enfants” il était bullied

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in a French town. An independent older lady. A boa constrictor. Art that's reminiscent of Bemelmans' Madeline stories. All good.

However, the science is frightful. Yes, it's a silly story, so I can look past a lot of things -- such as using a leash to take a snake for a walk, feeding the poor reptile milk from a bottle, shipping the boa in a cardboard box ... But there is no justification for implying that the boa constrictor came from Africa, where the lady's son was studying reptiles.

Drawings of kids pulling and tugging on the snake, and using it for a rope made me squirm. People already act violently toward snakes (how many snakes have been chopped or beaten to death with a shovel?). I'm sure the treatments shown here are meant to be humorous, but they're also cruel.

I'll keep the book for a while because, when using this with a child, I'd read it twice. The first time, would be purely for entertainment. The second time, I'd pose a question such as, "Do you think this could really happen?" And then we'll look for errors.

Be aware: Several weapons appear in the illustrations ... more than you'd expect in a child's book.
p 5: son wears ammunition belt and gun
p 24: boy scout makes a noose
p 28: robber has a dagger
p 29: policeman arrives with gun

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't believe I haven't read this Reading Rainbow book, yet. I guess I never thought to look for it on the shelves. But I really like it. The simplicity in the drawings and use of color is a bit refreshing. I also love how much expression one can see in the snake. A fun story (but one I already knew from the show) and I think this will be enjoyable in a storytime. I love the letters and numbers that could be used with preschoolers. But I don't know how well they would do with the length, and I think they'd miss some of the humor. Perhaps K-5 instead.

I would recommend this preschool and up as a lap-read though, for the pictures are too good to miss close-up.

7/22/10 I planned on using this for last week's Pets-themed school age. I used that storytime for a special summer group that came in the day before. While that group loved this book, they misplaced my copy and I could not find it in time for school age. I did find it later, and used it as a filler in my Thu preschool group. They liked it, though I wonder if they didn't catch the pictures as well as the school age group did.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a charming little story! Crictor is now a new favorite.

Illustrations are delightful!

Ages: 4 - 8

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[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crictor by Tomi Ungerer is about an old woman who is given a boa constrictor by her son. Initially shocked by the gift she does the right thing, studies up on boas and sets out to provide a good home for snake, whom she names Crictor.

There are a few oddities to the book, like the woman feeding a milk bottle to Crictor. Snakes aren't mammals and don't drink milk. But it's a minor point in an otherwise delightful book.

The illustrations are primarily done in green, white and black. The lady gets a few red highlights, like her hat. The line drawings are humorous and more comic than realistic. They remind me a bit of the style used for The Plant Sitter by Gene Zion but it's not the same author or artist.

The book was first released in 1958 and re-released as a Reading Rainbow book in 1983. It's on ALA's Notable Children's book list 1940-1959 and is on Horn Book fanfare honor list.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crictor is a hero for a postmodern era. He protects his loved ones, his family, his town, and in a very literal sense, society. He is hardly a pacifist: when someone poses a violent threat, he reacts. However, his conduct is measured and appropriate. He recognizes that even criminals, the accused, have rights: he is bound by the rules of Miranda, Geneva, and humanity. He apprehends the assailant without the assault and brutality that we've come to expect from so many heroes under the guise of so-called justice. Ungerer, well ahead of his time, also creates an environment welcoming of multiple gender expressions. As a baseline, Crictor plays equally with both boys and girls, setting a gender-neutral playing field; he is himself androgynous; and he may be genderqueer, although that requires an exploration of subtext beyond the scope of this review.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUMMARY: A highly diverting picture book about an agreeable pet boa constrictor that earns the affection and gratitude of a French village.

REVIEW: My 3 year old grandson enjoyed the antics of Crictor the boa constrictor in this short children's book. We had a trip to the pet store yesterday while it was raining and saw 2 snakes. Although, they were pretty small they still scared him a bit, so this was a perfect read for him to hear to relieve some of his fear of snakes. Ungerer creates delightful adventures for Crictor which all make him seem much more friendly than the normal everyday snake. This book would be especially great for young children who are learning letters and numbers since Crictor goes to school and makes himself into the alphabet and the primary numbers.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had a boa constrictor like Crictor who would save me from burglars! Tomi Ungerer's scratchy illustrations are darling and I love his simple use of colour. And as one might expect, it's a wonderful story, too.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Contrived and unsatisfying.

[Cosette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, but I kept wondering what Madame Bodot sent back to her son. And how to pronounce Bodot.

[KayeC Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very quick read. I gave it five stars, but it's on the bottom of my ranked Ungerer stories.

I love his simple line illustrations and spot colors. The story's cute and funny as well.

[John Yelverton · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is a cute little children's book about a pet boa constrictor, though the page after page of the snake turning himself into letters and numbers was quite tedious.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost a 2-star book, because it's just so very meh. It's a bit of Lyle Lyle Crocodile or Paddington (exotic beast becomes beloved family member) crossed with Madeline (set in France, Dufy-esque illustrations), but the story is inconsequential, haphazard (things happen, but other things could have happened just as easily), and the art has some graceful or imaginative moments, but not a lot.

It's set in a "little French town" that has a Zoo? And apparently a big fancy one, because there's a Reptile House in it with boa constrictor and crocodile? Seems unlikely. Little things like that take me out of the story. Why not just set it in Paris?

It would be one of those books I'd read to the kids upon request without hating to, but I'd never suggest it.

(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)

[Clare · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maria Russo wrote a lovely piece on Tomi Ungerer for the NYT after his death on February 8. I had never heard of him, but she wrote so convincingly of her appreciation for his work, I decided to read some of the children’s books she highlighted. I probably never heard of him because I was born in the 70s when “the nation’s librarians...made him persona non grata” upon discovering his “bondage-themed erotica.” Am I glad Ungerer was rediscovered and appreciated anew in the last few years of his life? Of course; he seems to have led a truly remarkable life. That we can now allow an author/illustrator of children’s books to also write/create material not appropriate for children is a positive thing. But knowing what I know from reading Russo’s article makes some of the drawings in Crictor downright creepy. I still plan to read more of his work, but Crictor didn’t impress.