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Serendipity
Creolé
Creolé, the big, ugly creature with the heart of gold, is shunned by all the other creatures because of her appearance. When she meets an alligator with a similar problem, the two friends work together to show the other creatures not to judge someone by the way they look.
28 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
172 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 8, 2012
This was the very first Stephen Cosgrove book I ever read and to this day it is one of my favorite books ever!
"On a foggy, foggy morning in the land of the swamp, from a battered, speckled egg, Creole was born."
Thus, begins a lovely tale about friendship and making snap judgements. All the animals of the swamp are afraid of Creole because of her size and her looks and they just don't see the heart of gold shining beneath. Poor Creole seems doomed to loneliness until one small alligator with a stutter takes a chance and finds that friendship can change, not just you, but everything around you.
This story is one that all of us can relate to in one way or another. Not fitting in - feeling like the whole world is judging you. Stephen Cosgrove is a master at telling stories that either have a moral (like this one) or touch a cord with in your heart (like this one, too) and make you think. Hopefully, you also walk away a better person from it, too.
For me, this book is particularly special. I was in 5th grade and about 10 years old. We had just moved to town the year before and so I knew what it was like to be the "new" kid. Enter a young girl named Kjirsten. She was not only new but she was from Czechoslovakia and spoke with a thick accent. We became best friends and even wrote a play that the teacher let us produce and put on for the other students. At the end of the year I found out that Kjirsten's family were moving again. Before she left she gave me this book. It was a small paperback version and in the back she had written this inscription:
Michelle, thanx for being such a good friend. This story kinda remined me of us, I the Creole, and you the little alligator. Thanx for discovering me and getting to know all about me, and still be my friend. God Bless you, Kjirsten
I am 48 years old now. It is a bit worn and faded now but that book still holds a special place in my bookcase. Thanx Kjirsten - for being such a lovely friend and for introducing me to a wonderful author.
"On a foggy, foggy morning in the land of the swamp, from a battered, speckled egg, Creole was born."
Thus, begins a lovely tale about friendship and making snap judgements. All the animals of the swamp are afraid of Creole because of her size and her looks and they just don't see the heart of gold shining beneath. Poor Creole seems doomed to loneliness until one small alligator with a stutter takes a chance and finds that friendship can change, not just you, but everything around you.
This story is one that all of us can relate to in one way or another. Not fitting in - feeling like the whole world is judging you. Stephen Cosgrove is a master at telling stories that either have a moral (like this one) or touch a cord with in your heart (like this one, too) and make you think. Hopefully, you also walk away a better person from it, too.
For me, this book is particularly special. I was in 5th grade and about 10 years old. We had just moved to town the year before and so I knew what it was like to be the "new" kid. Enter a young girl named Kjirsten. She was not only new but she was from Czechoslovakia and spoke with a thick accent. We became best friends and even wrote a play that the teacher let us produce and put on for the other students. At the end of the year I found out that Kjirsten's family were moving again. Before she left she gave me this book. It was a small paperback version and in the back she had written this inscription:
Michelle, thanx for being such a good friend. This story kinda remined me of us, I the Creole, and you the little alligator. Thanx for discovering me and getting to know all about me, and still be my friend. God Bless you, Kjirsten
I am 48 years old now. It is a bit worn and faded now but that book still holds a special place in my bookcase. Thanx Kjirsten - for being such a lovely friend and for introducing me to a wonderful author.
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February 21, 2019And in this latest edition of completely overthinking a children's book, why do all of these different species apparently have the exact same standards of aesthetics that literally all of them find Creolé ugly?
March 30, 2019
Reread for readathon.
Another fav from when I was a wee little peanut.
Another fav from when I was a wee little peanut.
January 20, 2025
This is a review of the 1981 edition. I've only read about 30 Serendipity books (so far) but this was the worst. Even Morgan Morning was better than this. The late, great Robin James actually does a bad job here. Even worse is Cosgrove's story, which seems to be borrowed from:
* The Ugly Duckling
* Cyrano de Bergerac
* The Sermon on the Mount.
The main point to the story is that Creole, who of course lives in a swamp, is so ugly, all the other animals in the swamp run, fly or swim away from her. But James, for all her brilliance, could not draw an ugly monster. She drew an effing CUTE dragon-like monster. Just take a look at that cover. The ultra-cute, fat thing that's not a baby alligator is Creole. Who in this universe would find her scary enough to run from? Maybe die from laughing at her, but that's about it.
I was a little disturbed that Creole seemed to be on a Christ-like mission to spread love and happiness in the swamp. Even to carnivores like the alligators. What the hell are the gators gonna eat if they love everything? James shows a gator roasting a marshmallow, but I got a feeling that's not going to be enough for the big guy. And it's never made clear what Creole eats. Perhaps she eats air?
The only thing I liked was that the baby alligator stuttered. I had a stutter as a kid, and still do when very tired or stressed out. This seemed to be the only original bit in the book. Frankly, the story should've been about the baby alligator and not the reincarnation of Jesus purple dragon thingy.
* The Ugly Duckling
* Cyrano de Bergerac
* The Sermon on the Mount.
The main point to the story is that Creole, who of course lives in a swamp, is so ugly, all the other animals in the swamp run, fly or swim away from her. But James, for all her brilliance, could not draw an ugly monster. She drew an effing CUTE dragon-like monster. Just take a look at that cover. The ultra-cute, fat thing that's not a baby alligator is Creole. Who in this universe would find her scary enough to run from? Maybe die from laughing at her, but that's about it.
I was a little disturbed that Creole seemed to be on a Christ-like mission to spread love and happiness in the swamp. Even to carnivores like the alligators. What the hell are the gators gonna eat if they love everything? James shows a gator roasting a marshmallow, but I got a feeling that's not going to be enough for the big guy. And it's never made clear what Creole eats. Perhaps she eats air?
The only thing I liked was that the baby alligator stuttered. I had a stutter as a kid, and still do when very tired or stressed out. This seemed to be the only original bit in the book. Frankly, the story should've been about the baby alligator and not the reincarnation of Jesus purple dragon thingy.
November 10, 2021
I'm reading through the Serendipity books because "why not" and, when I reached this book, something about this felt very familiar to me even though I was certain I never read this book before.
Then, when I reached the part with the little talking alligator that befriends Creole, that's when everything clicked with me. This book was in my speech therapy class when I was a kid because the alligator had a speech impediment! Something about there being a book where a small child alligator befriends a giant bird/dinosaur monster because the other swamp animals constantly make fun of his stutter and then learns to conquer his fears of being made fun of makes this kind of a personal book for me, and one that I'm glad exists. You rock, Childhood Hero Little Alligator With the Stutter and Creole.
Then, when I reached the part with the little talking alligator that befriends Creole, that's when everything clicked with me. This book was in my speech therapy class when I was a kid because the alligator had a speech impediment! Something about there being a book where a small child alligator befriends a giant bird/dinosaur monster because the other swamp animals constantly make fun of his stutter and then learns to conquer his fears of being made fun of makes this kind of a personal book for me, and one that I'm glad exists. You rock, Childhood Hero Little Alligator With the Stutter and Creole.
July 19, 2020
A nostalgic childhood favorite. While I never owned the Serendipity books as a kid (except for maybe Squeakers), I definitely picked them up at the library when I was a little tyke. This one is especially sweet, about a big, homely, kind-hearted swamp monster who befriends a tiny stuttering alligator, and teaches the other members of the swamp community to not judge people by how they look. If you've got some little tykes in your life, definitely pick up some books from this series, as they are beautifully illustrated and have some nice life lessons.
December 18, 2020
Never judge someone
By the way he looks
Or a book by the way it's covered;
For inside those tattered pages,
There's a lot to be discovered.
Quite the charming little illustrated children's book. We picked up a few of these in a local charity shop and I have just rediscovered them on the shelf.
Creolé, born in a swamp, isn't much to behold and the other animals fall silent and hide when she is around. Only after befriending a stuttering alligator can she begin to find friendship in the swamp.
By the way he looks
Or a book by the way it's covered;
For inside those tattered pages,
There's a lot to be discovered.
Quite the charming little illustrated children's book. We picked up a few of these in a local charity shop and I have just rediscovered them on the shelf.
Creolé, born in a swamp, isn't much to behold and the other animals fall silent and hide when she is around. Only after befriending a stuttering alligator can she begin to find friendship in the swamp.
May 18, 2021
A fun kid's story which illustrates 'You can't judge a book by its cover'. Creole is sweet, thoughtful and happy but she needs friends who will see those great aspects to her and not judge her by how she looks.
All four of our kids enjoyed these stories since the early 80's and I am now reading them to our grandchildren. Great reads, and beautifully illustrated.
All four of our kids enjoyed these stories since the early 80's and I am now reading them to our grandchildren. Great reads, and beautifully illustrated.
November 21, 2018
Of the books in the Serendipity series, this one is my favorite. It has been since I was a little girl.
I empathize with Creole so much. The author's way with words very much touched me. He knows how to write in a way that makes you want to hug the main character. It was so sad the way the other characters treated her.
The illustrations are also so expressive and unique. Such a memorable book.
I empathize with Creole so much. The author's way with words very much touched me. He knows how to write in a way that makes you want to hug the main character. It was so sad the way the other characters treated her.
The illustrations are also so expressive and unique. Such a memorable book.
May 19, 2021
was a gold heated pressing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2025
This is a very sweet story. It is also educational. The pictures are adorable.
November 19, 2019
This is one of my most tattered Serendipity books; I always liked flipping to the back cover to determine the era from the creators’ photos. This one’s from 1980, when the books were only $1.50...
The moral of this story is essentially: don’t judge a book by its cover. (Which, as an avid reader and collector, I often do with books, so I disagree with THAT statement, but not with the actual sentiment behind it.) Creole is a big, ugly, scaly creature that none of the other creatures of the swamp are familiar with, so they’re afraid of her, assuming she’s a huge new predator. In reality, though, she has an extraordinarily kind heart and wise thoughts and merely wants to make friends. (A part of me does wonder what she eats - is she a carnivore?)
She befriends a tiny stuttering alligator who’s had similar difficulties finding friends, and together they show the other creatures that there’s nothing to fear.
Not the most unique story, really, but I enjoy the art and particularly like the last image, where the little alligator has clearly been growing up some but is still Creole’s best friend.
The moral of this story is essentially: don’t judge a book by its cover. (Which, as an avid reader and collector, I often do with books, so I disagree with THAT statement, but not with the actual sentiment behind it.) Creole is a big, ugly, scaly creature that none of the other creatures of the swamp are familiar with, so they’re afraid of her, assuming she’s a huge new predator. In reality, though, she has an extraordinarily kind heart and wise thoughts and merely wants to make friends. (A part of me does wonder what she eats - is she a carnivore?)
She befriends a tiny stuttering alligator who’s had similar difficulties finding friends, and together they show the other creatures that there’s nothing to fear.
Not the most unique story, really, but I enjoy the art and particularly like the last image, where the little alligator has clearly been growing up some but is still Creole’s best friend.
November 16, 2011
I grew up reading the Serendipity books by Stephen Cosgrove, and now I read them to my daughter. There is not one of them that I can say is not a favorite. They are a modern version of Aesop's Fables as they tell a short story that ends with a very important moral.
Creolé is the story of a big, ugly creature with warts on her hands and feet, a large beak, and knobby knees. Despite her outer appearance, she has a beautiful heart filled with love, joy, and happiness. The story focuses on her search for a friend to share her joy with, and then how her new friend stands up for her against the other animals in the swamp.
I really enjoy how Cosgrove simplifies (in a sense) the importance of not judging by outer appearance to a child's level. My daughter was in tears by how Creolé was treated by the other creatures because she has experienced teasing for the way she looks. I think the end wraps things up in such a way that children are hopeful that people will look past appearances, and see what is on the inside. This is a great book for the entire family to enjoy.
Creolé is the story of a big, ugly creature with warts on her hands and feet, a large beak, and knobby knees. Despite her outer appearance, she has a beautiful heart filled with love, joy, and happiness. The story focuses on her search for a friend to share her joy with, and then how her new friend stands up for her against the other animals in the swamp.
I really enjoy how Cosgrove simplifies (in a sense) the importance of not judging by outer appearance to a child's level. My daughter was in tears by how Creolé was treated by the other creatures because she has experienced teasing for the way she looks. I think the end wraps things up in such a way that children are hopeful that people will look past appearances, and see what is on the inside. This is a great book for the entire family to enjoy.
October 28, 2013
Creole is such a beautiful creature to me. I find it strange that the creatures think her ugly, but I suppose she just isn’t a normal looking creature to the rest of them. This is a great book for learning that appearances mean little compared to what is on the inside. Just like all Serendipity books, there is a moral at the end of the book.
This was one of my favorite books growing up because of the pictures. I never liked that the text was tight and together, but the ribbon on Creole, the color purple that is most of her body, the terrified look of the little alligator before he speaks to everybody, and all of their smiles at the end of the book really drew me in. I would say that the bright colors, and attention to faces and body language are what bring the characters to life. Not all stories need bright colors, but to make this book a more fulfilling book, the pictures had to add a lot to the word part of the story. Still, definitely one of my favorites.
This was one of my favorite books growing up because of the pictures. I never liked that the text was tight and together, but the ribbon on Creole, the color purple that is most of her body, the terrified look of the little alligator before he speaks to everybody, and all of their smiles at the end of the book really drew me in. I would say that the bright colors, and attention to faces and body language are what bring the characters to life. Not all stories need bright colors, but to make this book a more fulfilling book, the pictures had to add a lot to the word part of the story. Still, definitely one of my favorites.
June 16, 2009
oh man. I did not grow up with these books, as my husband did, but he just dug them out of his pile of kids memorabilia because we saw them for sale at Barnes & Noble.
these books are amazing written and beautifully illustrated. there are told as (I think) Children's books should be told. of course, there is a lesson to be learned, but I am going to sum up my review with my favorite end quote from the book:
Never judge someone
By the way he looks
Or a book by the way it's covered;
For inside those tattered pages,
There's a lot to be discovered.
get it for your kids, get it for you mother... go get all of them (I found most between Barnes & Noble & Amazon)... they are FAN-diddly-TASTIC.
I would also like to point out that the book cost $1.00 when it was printed in 1975.
these books are amazing written and beautifully illustrated. there are told as (I think) Children's books should be told. of course, there is a lesson to be learned, but I am going to sum up my review with my favorite end quote from the book:
Never judge someone
By the way he looks
Or a book by the way it's covered;
For inside those tattered pages,
There's a lot to be discovered.
get it for your kids, get it for you mother... go get all of them (I found most between Barnes & Noble & Amazon)... they are FAN-diddly-TASTIC.
I would also like to point out that the book cost $1.00 when it was printed in 1975.
June 23, 2015
This book is about an ugly creature who has the most beautiful heart. All she wants is some friends and to share her words and feelings with. Everyone is scared of her and runs away, except for a small alligator who stutters. They become friends and they try to make more friends, and through all their hard work it finally pays off, and everyone learns to love and not fear the ugly creature.
I like this book because there is text on one side of the page, and there is a detailed picture on the other side of the page. The text and pictures complement one another. There is also a moral to be learned at the end of the story. Which make this book a very worthy read.
I would use this book to teach my children. They would enjoy looking at the pictures, and they would also learn some great life lessons. They would be better kids for reading this book.
I like this book because there is text on one side of the page, and there is a detailed picture on the other side of the page. The text and pictures complement one another. There is also a moral to be learned at the end of the story. Which make this book a very worthy read.
I would use this book to teach my children. They would enjoy looking at the pictures, and they would also learn some great life lessons. They would be better kids for reading this book.
March 7, 2016
You wouldn't believe how many people just need to read this series, and apply the lessons to their lives!
July 3, 2017
I love how this creature in born in the swamp and knows that she is ugly but still wants to share all the love in her big heart. She is truly a shining example of how we should be willing to share out own hearts with others no matter our appearances. And the lesson doesn't end there.
The pictures are captivating, the characters unforgettable and readers of all ages will find themselves cheering the small stuttering alligator with Creole as his best friend.
The pictures are captivating, the characters unforgettable and readers of all ages will find themselves cheering the small stuttering alligator with Creole as his best friend.
January 23, 2011
Check out my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing for my thoughts and memories of the Serendipity series!
April 22, 2009
This was one of my favorite books as a child. It touched my heart.
April 23, 2011
Love this book! Beautiful pictures with a great story about loving yourself not matter what. Can really help children understand that while everyone is different, we are all important.
March 3, 2012
This is by far my favorite of the Serendipity books. I am in my 30's and this book still makes me cry when I read it.
March 16, 2013
Love this series.
September 9, 2014
Once again these amazing books teach children not to alienate others for looking or being different. This one is all about acceptance, and not judging a book by its cover.
September 29, 2015
Beautifully illustrated and a sweet little story with morale. A wonderful story to share with your loved ones.
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January 22, 2009JAR4-CosHB
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews