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Prințesa Cora și crocodilul
Prințesa Cora s-a săturat de lecțiile lungi, de sărit coarda și de facut baie de trei ori pe zi. Și-ar dori să se poată murdări în voie sau să se cațere în copaci. Dar mai presus de toate i-ar plăcea tare mult un cățel. Cine poate fi mai nimerită să o ajute dacă nu nașa ei, zâna cea bună?
Dar ajutorul vine sub o formă neașteptată: un crocodil care nu se poartă deloc cuviincios și care dă peste cap toată ordinea plictisitoare a palatului.
Dar ajutorul vine sub o formă neașteptată: un crocodil care nu se poartă deloc cuviincios și care dă peste cap toată ordinea plictisitoare a palatului.
80 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2017
11 people are currently reading
1117 people want to read
About the author
Laura Amy Schlitz
20 books518 followersLaura Amy Schlitz is an American author of children's literature. She is a librarian and storyteller at The Park School in Brooklandville, Maryland.
She received the 2008 Newbery Medal for her children's book entitled Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village,[1] and the 2013 Newbery Honor for her children's book, Splendors and Glooms.[2] She also won the 2016 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, the 2016 National Jewish Book Award, and the Sydney Taylor Book Award for her young adult book, The Hired Girl. Her other published books are The Hero Schliemann: The Dreamer Who Dug For Troy (2006), A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama (2006), which won a Cybils Award that year, The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm (2007), The Night Fairy (2010).
Schlitz attended Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, and graduated in 1977.
She received the 2008 Newbery Medal for her children's book entitled Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village,[1] and the 2013 Newbery Honor for her children's book, Splendors and Glooms.[2] She also won the 2016 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, the 2016 National Jewish Book Award, and the Sydney Taylor Book Award for her young adult book, The Hired Girl. Her other published books are The Hero Schliemann: The Dreamer Who Dug For Troy (2006), A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama (2006), which won a Cybils Award that year, The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm (2007), The Night Fairy (2010).
Schlitz attended Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, and graduated in 1977.
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October 28, 2017
Princess Cora's parents are determined to ensure their daughter is prepared to one day be Queen, so they force her to follow a strict schedule of lessons, exercise, and bathing. But Cora is tired of being bored and longs to have a dog to play with. She writes to her fairy godmother, asking for a dog. The next day a box arrives, but - green scales, long rows of teeth - it seems Cora's godmother has sent her a crocodile by mistake.
Floca's illustrations are a delight, and Schlitz flavors her story with a dash of humor, but there's something off about Princess Cora and the Crocodile . . .
Princess Cora's nanny exudes (presumably inadvertent) pedophile/Mommy Dearest vibes.
The nanny thought that being clean was the most important thing in the world. She made Princess Cora take three baths a day and watched like a hawk to make sure she washed herself all over.
"Into the tub you go," the nanny would say, "and scrub-a-dub-dub till I say stop!"
Sometimes Princess Cora got tired of taking baths. But the nanny always shook her finger and said, "Do you want to be a dirty little girl? Do you want to smell bad?"
Then Princess Cora turned red and took another bath.
When the crocodile and the King have their run-in, the crocodile bites the King's pants to reveal his underpants, and things only get stranger from there . . .
And indeed, the King ran very fast. But no man is as fast as a crocodile, and after the seventh lap around the gym, the crocodile lashed his tail, knocked the King down, and began to chew on him.
The King cried out, "Good heavens! You're not Princess Cora!"
"Am too," said the crocodile, but it sounded more like "mmmtttfff" because he was chewing. It wasn't easy to chew on the King, because he had such strong muscles. His rear end was tough, like dry bubble gum.
The crocodile made a lasso from the skipping rope and threw it over the King's head. Then the crocodile tied up the King, binding him with double knots.
The King howled with rage. His rear end was wet with crocodile spit, and he hated being tied up.
Having a crocodile for a pet is not all it's cracked up to be. Cora must stand up for the people she loves and find the courage to vocalize her desires if she wants to achieve a happy ending.
With quaint illustrations and peculiar characters, Princess Cora and the Crocodile is an odd yet amusing tale of wishing gone awry.
Floca's illustrations are a delight, and Schlitz flavors her story with a dash of humor, but there's something off about Princess Cora and the Crocodile . . .
Princess Cora's nanny exudes (presumably inadvertent) pedophile/Mommy Dearest vibes.
The nanny thought that being clean was the most important thing in the world. She made Princess Cora take three baths a day and watched like a hawk to make sure she washed herself all over.
"Into the tub you go," the nanny would say, "and scrub-a-dub-dub till I say stop!"
Sometimes Princess Cora got tired of taking baths. But the nanny always shook her finger and said, "Do you want to be a dirty little girl? Do you want to smell bad?"
Then Princess Cora turned red and took another bath.
When the crocodile and the King have their run-in, the crocodile bites the King's pants to reveal his underpants, and things only get stranger from there . . .
And indeed, the King ran very fast. But no man is as fast as a crocodile, and after the seventh lap around the gym, the crocodile lashed his tail, knocked the King down, and began to chew on him.
The King cried out, "Good heavens! You're not Princess Cora!"
"Am too," said the crocodile, but it sounded more like "mmmtttfff" because he was chewing. It wasn't easy to chew on the King, because he had such strong muscles. His rear end was tough, like dry bubble gum.
The crocodile made a lasso from the skipping rope and threw it over the King's head. Then the crocodile tied up the King, binding him with double knots.
The King howled with rage. His rear end was wet with crocodile spit, and he hated being tied up.
Having a crocodile for a pet is not all it's cracked up to be. Cora must stand up for the people she loves and find the courage to vocalize her desires if she wants to achieve a happy ending.
With quaint illustrations and peculiar characters, Princess Cora and the Crocodile is an odd yet amusing tale of wishing gone awry.
February 7, 2017
What if.
What if Good Night Moon had been illustrated by someone other than Clement Hurd?
What if.
What if Charlotte’s Web had had an artist who wasn’t Garth Williams?
What if.
What if Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz hadn’t been illustrated by Brian Floca?
That’s a lot of “what ifs” to contend with. Readers like to play with the notion of what might have been, for good or for ill. History is full of near disasters, near misses, and perfect dewdrops of unexpected success. Slot Schlitz and Floca’s latest in the dewdrop category. A pitch perfect amalgamation of text and image, this early chapter book will have the uncanny ability to appeal to those children that love princesses, those that love naughty crocodiles, and everybody else in-between.
Can parents love their children too much? Consider the sad case of Princess Cora. Born to doting parents, the besotted rulers worried right from the start that their little daughter might end up unprepared to someday rule their kingdom. As such, they set about scheduling up every minute of her life. When her nanny wasn’t bugging her to bathe (at least three times a day) her mother was making her study ghastly dull books. And when her mother wasn’t making her study ghastly dull books her father was submitting Cora to a thoroughly dull physical fitness regime. In desperation the girl asks for a dog, and when that is denied her she appeals to her fairy godmother. The next day an animal appears at the foot of her bed . . . only it’s not a dog. It is a crocodile. A crocodile that puts into motion a crazy plan and allows Cora a day of pure freedom. Its methods are unorthodox, but you can say this much for it - it gets the job done.
You don’t put authors in a corner and you CERTAINLY don’t put Laura Amy Schlitz there. This is a woman as comfortable penning medieval monologues and biographies of scoundrels as she is fairy tales, early chapter books, high concept fantasies, and young adult historical fiction. She does, however, harbor some favorites. In this particular case, girls and their need for wildness. Years and years ago I heard Ms. Schlitz emphasize the difference between fairies and princesses. Fairies, you see, are appealing because they are wild. They get to hang out with animals and run through the woods and have adventures! Her book, The Night Fairy was, in fact a paean to her “future wild women of America”. Princesses, in contrast, must sit in dreary castles and pine and mope and keep themselves clean. In many ways, Princess Cora and the Crocodile is a natural companion novel to The Night Fairy. She the opposite side of the coin, albeit a side that turns downright fairy-like before the tale is done.
Cora gets to run and jump and step in cow pies and climb trees, but her adventures pale in comparison to whatever it is that the croc gets up to. This is stating the obvious but the crocodile is a bit of an id. For children, the manic pixie dream girl equivalent for the pre-romantic is a wild and crazy new best friend. The kind of friend that teeters and totters precariously between “fun” and “frightening”. In many ways the croc also represents that wildness that children fear within themselves. Sometimes they want to be Cora and do everything their parents and teachers say. Sometimes they want to be the crocodile and just bite everything in sight. The trick, as in all things, is in finding the balance.
There’s certainly something Roald Dahlish to the proceedings. We adults are instinctive pearl clutchers when faced with true wildness in either our children or their literature. Schlitz lacks the more disturbing undercurrents found in some of Dahl’s work but she matches him note for note in maniacal glee. Yet another way to look at this book is to tackle it from the overscheduled / helicopter parent perspective. I don’t know that this was ever the author’s intent but in this era of perpetual after school and weekend activities it sure felt that way to me. Cora has a lot in common with a bunch of children today. She’s cooped up, watched constantly, and you can bet that if hand sanitizer existed in her story then her nanny would be dousing her in gallons of the stuff. Yet for all that it’s timely, Schlitz manages to keep it believably in that once-upon-a-time era. Good luck finding books as simultaneously timely and timeless as this.
Any artist worth their salt would have been thrilled to be offered this manuscript. There’s a great deal to play with here. And Mr. Floca was nothing if not an inspired choice. He’s one of the few artists I know who is capable of technical expertise, the ability to conjure up wild-eyed frenzy, and a talent for tapping into true human emotions that kids can relate to. And in truth this isn’t as great a departure for Mr. Floca as some might think. In between his locomotive and airline vehicles and racecars and rocket ships, Floca has done books like, The Hinky-Pink by Megan McDonald, which, like this book, dared to give the world a wholly original fairytale. The two would actually pair remarkably well together. Both involve a girl and a creature that has more than a bit of id to its make-up. Mr. Floca meticulously researched both for their landscapes and backgrounds. They’re made for one another.
As I mentioned before, part of what I like about Floca is his ability to tap into the emotions of the characters, even if those emotions are not immediately apparent. One of the most important things the book accomplishes is to make it clear that these are not mean or consciously cruel parents. When the king asks his daughter, “Princess Cora, are you being a good girl?” he doesn’t look angry. He looks disappointed and sad and worried. Little wonder she bursts into tears, and Floca’s picture is so clever. Instead of big fat driblets of water, all we see are her hands drawn up to her face, the big thick wooden ends of the jump ropes still clutched tightly. Like she could hide her shame behind a jump rope’s protection. But the moment when I decided that no one, but no one, could have illustrated this book as well as Brian was when I came to page 21. There the crocodile attempts to dress in Cora’s clothing and the text states, clear as crystal, “it was astonishing how much he looked like Princess Cora.” I shudder to think of what would have happened if the illustrator on this project had taken these words at face value. There are few things more sublime in this life than watching an oversized and very toothy carnivore dressed up like a lovely little princess. It’s sort of like watching a wolf dress up like grandma, but without that unnerving bulge in the stomach area.
And fair play to Cora. Any character that must share a book with this crocodile is in constant danger of being upstaged. A cheeky devil, he’s sort of The Cat in the Hat plus Things One and Two all wrapped up together in a dress borrowed from Bugs Bunny. Floca outdoes himself with its creation. The sheer size of the crocodile is so much of its appeal. It’s a cartoonish interloper in a realistic world. Floca can so carefully craft the curved backing of a piece of exquisite furniture on the one hand, while on the other giving a reptile a jaunty by-your-leave attitude, all akimbo limbs and swishy tail. It feels weirdly cathartic to view that alligator after you’ve counted all the bricks on the castle façade not three pages before. I also hope that when the great works of Brian Floca are gathered together a century or two from now, a spotlight will be placed on what might be the greatest picture of his career: a bewigged crocodile merrily gnawing on the rear end of a king sporting gluteus maximus muscles that are, “tough, like dry bubble gum.” *
Cream puffs and crocodiles and crazy antics. Your early chapter books have a tendency to eschew true madcap fiascos. In my old age I’ve grown to love those books that are unafraid to let loose the reins and to let their characters go wild. There will be grown-ups who read this book that are uncomfortable for the amount of biting that occurs on the part of the crocodile. There will be kids that love it, adore it, and howl for more. Here’s one for the howlers then. Whether you’re a Cora or a crocodile or a little bit of both, you’re bound to stand in wonder when you see what Schlitz and Floca have come up with together.
For ages 7-9.
*Of course singling out ANY picture in this book as your favorite is an inherently difficult task. I mean what about the one where the croc is eyeing his little tower of cream puffs with lust in his heart? Or where he’s dressed up like Cora for the first time and he’s done this coquettish little turn of the head combined with one foot kicking up just a little. ARG! I can’t decide!
What if Good Night Moon had been illustrated by someone other than Clement Hurd?
What if.
What if Charlotte’s Web had had an artist who wasn’t Garth Williams?
What if.
What if Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz hadn’t been illustrated by Brian Floca?
That’s a lot of “what ifs” to contend with. Readers like to play with the notion of what might have been, for good or for ill. History is full of near disasters, near misses, and perfect dewdrops of unexpected success. Slot Schlitz and Floca’s latest in the dewdrop category. A pitch perfect amalgamation of text and image, this early chapter book will have the uncanny ability to appeal to those children that love princesses, those that love naughty crocodiles, and everybody else in-between.
Can parents love their children too much? Consider the sad case of Princess Cora. Born to doting parents, the besotted rulers worried right from the start that their little daughter might end up unprepared to someday rule their kingdom. As such, they set about scheduling up every minute of her life. When her nanny wasn’t bugging her to bathe (at least three times a day) her mother was making her study ghastly dull books. And when her mother wasn’t making her study ghastly dull books her father was submitting Cora to a thoroughly dull physical fitness regime. In desperation the girl asks for a dog, and when that is denied her she appeals to her fairy godmother. The next day an animal appears at the foot of her bed . . . only it’s not a dog. It is a crocodile. A crocodile that puts into motion a crazy plan and allows Cora a day of pure freedom. Its methods are unorthodox, but you can say this much for it - it gets the job done.
You don’t put authors in a corner and you CERTAINLY don’t put Laura Amy Schlitz there. This is a woman as comfortable penning medieval monologues and biographies of scoundrels as she is fairy tales, early chapter books, high concept fantasies, and young adult historical fiction. She does, however, harbor some favorites. In this particular case, girls and their need for wildness. Years and years ago I heard Ms. Schlitz emphasize the difference between fairies and princesses. Fairies, you see, are appealing because they are wild. They get to hang out with animals and run through the woods and have adventures! Her book, The Night Fairy was, in fact a paean to her “future wild women of America”. Princesses, in contrast, must sit in dreary castles and pine and mope and keep themselves clean. In many ways, Princess Cora and the Crocodile is a natural companion novel to The Night Fairy. She the opposite side of the coin, albeit a side that turns downright fairy-like before the tale is done.
Cora gets to run and jump and step in cow pies and climb trees, but her adventures pale in comparison to whatever it is that the croc gets up to. This is stating the obvious but the crocodile is a bit of an id. For children, the manic pixie dream girl equivalent for the pre-romantic is a wild and crazy new best friend. The kind of friend that teeters and totters precariously between “fun” and “frightening”. In many ways the croc also represents that wildness that children fear within themselves. Sometimes they want to be Cora and do everything their parents and teachers say. Sometimes they want to be the crocodile and just bite everything in sight. The trick, as in all things, is in finding the balance.
There’s certainly something Roald Dahlish to the proceedings. We adults are instinctive pearl clutchers when faced with true wildness in either our children or their literature. Schlitz lacks the more disturbing undercurrents found in some of Dahl’s work but she matches him note for note in maniacal glee. Yet another way to look at this book is to tackle it from the overscheduled / helicopter parent perspective. I don’t know that this was ever the author’s intent but in this era of perpetual after school and weekend activities it sure felt that way to me. Cora has a lot in common with a bunch of children today. She’s cooped up, watched constantly, and you can bet that if hand sanitizer existed in her story then her nanny would be dousing her in gallons of the stuff. Yet for all that it’s timely, Schlitz manages to keep it believably in that once-upon-a-time era. Good luck finding books as simultaneously timely and timeless as this.
Any artist worth their salt would have been thrilled to be offered this manuscript. There’s a great deal to play with here. And Mr. Floca was nothing if not an inspired choice. He’s one of the few artists I know who is capable of technical expertise, the ability to conjure up wild-eyed frenzy, and a talent for tapping into true human emotions that kids can relate to. And in truth this isn’t as great a departure for Mr. Floca as some might think. In between his locomotive and airline vehicles and racecars and rocket ships, Floca has done books like, The Hinky-Pink by Megan McDonald, which, like this book, dared to give the world a wholly original fairytale. The two would actually pair remarkably well together. Both involve a girl and a creature that has more than a bit of id to its make-up. Mr. Floca meticulously researched both for their landscapes and backgrounds. They’re made for one another.
As I mentioned before, part of what I like about Floca is his ability to tap into the emotions of the characters, even if those emotions are not immediately apparent. One of the most important things the book accomplishes is to make it clear that these are not mean or consciously cruel parents. When the king asks his daughter, “Princess Cora, are you being a good girl?” he doesn’t look angry. He looks disappointed and sad and worried. Little wonder she bursts into tears, and Floca’s picture is so clever. Instead of big fat driblets of water, all we see are her hands drawn up to her face, the big thick wooden ends of the jump ropes still clutched tightly. Like she could hide her shame behind a jump rope’s protection. But the moment when I decided that no one, but no one, could have illustrated this book as well as Brian was when I came to page 21. There the crocodile attempts to dress in Cora’s clothing and the text states, clear as crystal, “it was astonishing how much he looked like Princess Cora.” I shudder to think of what would have happened if the illustrator on this project had taken these words at face value. There are few things more sublime in this life than watching an oversized and very toothy carnivore dressed up like a lovely little princess. It’s sort of like watching a wolf dress up like grandma, but without that unnerving bulge in the stomach area.
And fair play to Cora. Any character that must share a book with this crocodile is in constant danger of being upstaged. A cheeky devil, he’s sort of The Cat in the Hat plus Things One and Two all wrapped up together in a dress borrowed from Bugs Bunny. Floca outdoes himself with its creation. The sheer size of the crocodile is so much of its appeal. It’s a cartoonish interloper in a realistic world. Floca can so carefully craft the curved backing of a piece of exquisite furniture on the one hand, while on the other giving a reptile a jaunty by-your-leave attitude, all akimbo limbs and swishy tail. It feels weirdly cathartic to view that alligator after you’ve counted all the bricks on the castle façade not three pages before. I also hope that when the great works of Brian Floca are gathered together a century or two from now, a spotlight will be placed on what might be the greatest picture of his career: a bewigged crocodile merrily gnawing on the rear end of a king sporting gluteus maximus muscles that are, “tough, like dry bubble gum.” *
Cream puffs and crocodiles and crazy antics. Your early chapter books have a tendency to eschew true madcap fiascos. In my old age I’ve grown to love those books that are unafraid to let loose the reins and to let their characters go wild. There will be grown-ups who read this book that are uncomfortable for the amount of biting that occurs on the part of the crocodile. There will be kids that love it, adore it, and howl for more. Here’s one for the howlers then. Whether you’re a Cora or a crocodile or a little bit of both, you’re bound to stand in wonder when you see what Schlitz and Floca have come up with together.
For ages 7-9.
*Of course singling out ANY picture in this book as your favorite is an inherently difficult task. I mean what about the one where the croc is eyeing his little tower of cream puffs with lust in his heart? Or where he’s dressed up like Cora for the first time and he’s done this coquettish little turn of the head combined with one foot kicking up just a little. ARG! I can’t decide!
July 13, 2017
Confession: I have a deep and abiding love for Laura Amy Schlitz.
So when I heard rumblings about Princess Cora & the Crocodile--the first early-mid grade novel Ms. Schlitz’s published since 2010’s Night Fairy--my excitement level was at a 20. Think The Office’s Stanley on Pretzel Day. Or Parks & Rec's’ Leslie Knope on.....well any day. And believe me when I tell you, my all-encompassing faith in Ms. Schlitz was well-placed.
Cora rocks. Hard. Despite her royal dilemma. You see, Cora is a princess with a very specific problem. She never gets to have any fun because she’s forced to spend all day, every day prepping for her eventual Queendom. So Cora does what all princesses do when they’re in a pickle: she writes a letter begging her fairy godmother for help. Helpful those. But what she gets isn’t quite what she was expecting. When Cora wakes she finds a CROCODILE at the foot of her bed. That’s right…..a CROCODILE.
How on god’s green earth will a CROCODILE help Cora, you may ask?Good question. Cora comes up with what she considers an ingenious plan: Cora and the Crocodile will switch places for one day. Cora will have that day to do all the super, exciting cool things she never has time for and the Crocodile will spend his day in Queen School. Well, for a small fee. Crocodile’s have no use for money, what they do love, though, is food. And d’ya know what a Crocodile’s most favorite, bestest ever in the whole wide world food is??? CREAMPUFFS. You’ll have to read the book to figure out if they’ll be able to pull off this itsy bitsy (actually HUGE, ENORMOUS) ruse. Just a tiny FYI: mops make for very handy wigs in a jam.
Princess Cora & the Crocodile is reminiscent of fairy tales I listened to growing up but with a decidedly modern flavor. There’s a sly message within this fun romp about overly scheduled kids and their easily distracted parents that both parties will identify with. Brian Floca’s full color illustrations are GORGEOUS and make this book a great gift choice. Fantastic story for the lower elementary crowd, but I read it aloud to fourth-graders and they loved it too!
So when I heard rumblings about Princess Cora & the Crocodile--the first early-mid grade novel Ms. Schlitz’s published since 2010’s Night Fairy--my excitement level was at a 20. Think The Office’s Stanley on Pretzel Day. Or Parks & Rec's’ Leslie Knope on.....well any day. And believe me when I tell you, my all-encompassing faith in Ms. Schlitz was well-placed.
Cora rocks. Hard. Despite her royal dilemma. You see, Cora is a princess with a very specific problem. She never gets to have any fun because she’s forced to spend all day, every day prepping for her eventual Queendom. So Cora does what all princesses do when they’re in a pickle: she writes a letter begging her fairy godmother for help. Helpful those. But what she gets isn’t quite what she was expecting. When Cora wakes she finds a CROCODILE at the foot of her bed. That’s right…..a CROCODILE.
How on god’s green earth will a CROCODILE help Cora, you may ask?Good question. Cora comes up with what she considers an ingenious plan: Cora and the Crocodile will switch places for one day. Cora will have that day to do all the super, exciting cool things she never has time for and the Crocodile will spend his day in Queen School. Well, for a small fee. Crocodile’s have no use for money, what they do love, though, is food. And d’ya know what a Crocodile’s most favorite, bestest ever in the whole wide world food is??? CREAMPUFFS. You’ll have to read the book to figure out if they’ll be able to pull off this itsy bitsy (actually HUGE, ENORMOUS) ruse. Just a tiny FYI: mops make for very handy wigs in a jam.
Princess Cora & the Crocodile is reminiscent of fairy tales I listened to growing up but with a decidedly modern flavor. There’s a sly message within this fun romp about overly scheduled kids and their easily distracted parents that both parties will identify with. Brian Floca’s full color illustrations are GORGEOUS and make this book a great gift choice. Fantastic story for the lower elementary crowd, but I read it aloud to fourth-graders and they loved it too!
April 7, 2017
Delightful. Yes, the theme has been covered a multitude of times before. But not quite like this. I just hope the helicopter parents who still think that their child needs to get into the right infant care to be able to get into the right preschool, etc... and needs to learn to read before they get to school... and will eventually need to marry the right person and have the right career read this. Or at least that those parents who somehow feel inadequate when they compare themselves to the first set absorb this. Because apparently every little girl is a princess, and far too many of them don't play on the jungle gym or have unstructured play or reading time.
Back off, or we'll sick this very funny crocodile on you.
I like the format, too. It's got more words than a picture-book, but not as many as a novel. It's smaller than a picture-book face-on, slimmer than a novel spine-wise, with plenty of pictures but not too many. So, great for any pre-reader or reader or family. And funny enough for the "typical boys" in the family, too.
And the way Cora and her family come to realize that she needs some kid time is perfectly plausible and appropriate.
Here's where I lol'd: mild spoiler:
Back off, or we'll sick this very funny crocodile on you.
I like the format, too. It's got more words than a picture-book, but not as many as a novel. It's smaller than a picture-book face-on, slimmer than a novel spine-wise, with plenty of pictures but not too many. So, great for any pre-reader or reader or family. And funny enough for the "typical boys" in the family, too.
And the way Cora and her family come to realize that she needs some kid time is perfectly plausible and appropriate.
Here's where I lol'd: mild spoiler:
December 2, 2020
3.5 STARS
I really appreciate the message of this book though somehow the delivery didn't quite entertain me as much as it did most readers. Cheryl's review highlights many of the fine points of this book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I really appreciate the message of this book though somehow the delivery didn't quite entertain me as much as it did most readers. Cheryl's review highlights many of the fine points of this book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
June 10, 2019
Super fun read aloud! This is definitely a book that loves children.
June 23, 2022
Read it to my 5 year-old niece. We laughed and I answered questions (like, “what is a cow pie?”), so it was worth the five stars.
March 25, 2017
This is a fun book to read and children will thoroughly enjoy it. Just the right length for readers in grades three and four who are delving into the realm of early chapter books with a substantial amount of text and abundantly illustrated, the young reader will gleefully cheer the Princess on as she rebels the rigid scheduling of her life and escapes to explore the great out-of-doors on her own.
Her co-conspirator is the wickedly cute crocodile who changes places with her in exchange for some luscious cream puffs.
The illustrations will capture the attention and tickle the funnies out of every reader. Brian Floca is a Caldecott Medalist and it is easy to see why he has been so recognized because his art charms, captures the attention, entertains, and tells the story just as the author intended - with wit and clarity.
The story by Newberry Medalist author Laura Amy Schlitz is just the right length for young readers who are entering the chapter book realm. It is complete with a beginning, need, solution, and conclusion. It ends on a joyful note which is good for young readers who love (and perhaps need) a happily-ever-after story.
The problem Princess Cora faces is an over scheduled life where she doesn't have time to discover the world and life on her own. Each scheduled activity is truly good and desirable, but they leave no time for her to be a child and do what a child does so well - play and discover. It has been said, "Play is the work of children." And so it is in a child's play that the work of self-discovery, invention, adaptation, and originality come into being. The story has a lesson for parents as well as a bit of fun for children.
What I especially like:
What I didn't care much for:
I really think the book is superb and the author and artist have done a wonderful job of putting it together to create a charming story.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Candlewick Press to facilitate a review of my personal opinions which are freely given.
Her co-conspirator is the wickedly cute crocodile who changes places with her in exchange for some luscious cream puffs.
The illustrations will capture the attention and tickle the funnies out of every reader. Brian Floca is a Caldecott Medalist and it is easy to see why he has been so recognized because his art charms, captures the attention, entertains, and tells the story just as the author intended - with wit and clarity.
The story by Newberry Medalist author Laura Amy Schlitz is just the right length for young readers who are entering the chapter book realm. It is complete with a beginning, need, solution, and conclusion. It ends on a joyful note which is good for young readers who love (and perhaps need) a happily-ever-after story.
The problem Princess Cora faces is an over scheduled life where she doesn't have time to discover the world and life on her own. Each scheduled activity is truly good and desirable, but they leave no time for her to be a child and do what a child does so well - play and discover. It has been said, "Play is the work of children." And so it is in a child's play that the work of self-discovery, invention, adaptation, and originality come into being. The story has a lesson for parents as well as a bit of fun for children.
What I especially like:
The wonderful illustrations done in strong pastels and with fascinating details.
The part where Princess Cora is on her own exploring the out-of-doors - picking strawberries, making a bed/fort under the pines, etc.
The wickedly funny crocodile.
The facial expressions on the characters showing their reactions.
What I didn't care much for:
Princess Cora calling something "stupid."
Princess Cora rebelling against her parent's plans.
Princess Cora being out 'n about on her own. (Of course, she was on the castle grounds, so this was probably o.k.)
I really think the book is superb and the author and artist have done a wonderful job of putting it together to create a charming story.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Candlewick Press to facilitate a review of my personal opinions which are freely given.
May 18, 2017
Quick read with a princess (which I'm often asked for) and people getting bitten in the bum (which is always good for a laugh). My one reservation in today's "13 Reasons Why" environment (and may I say that I really liked that book ... I didn't think it glorified suicide at all but instead drove home the point that your actions towards others can have repercussions) is when the crocodile moans, "I wish I was dead!" on p. 58.
April 16, 2017
A great read aloud for five and up.
Cora is not happy with the rigorous schedule she keeps while being a princess. She asks her fairy godmother for a reprieve and gets it in the form of a pet crocodile.
When the two trade places, many valuable lessons are learned by Cora and those that care for her.
Cora is not happy with the rigorous schedule she keeps while being a princess. She asks her fairy godmother for a reprieve and gets it in the form of a pet crocodile.
When the two trade places, many valuable lessons are learned by Cora and those that care for her.
February 7, 2017
I think the theme of this book is important for parenting nowadays - don't over schedule kids - give them time to be kids!
August 21, 2019
That book is very awesome.
April 1, 2017
When I first heard that two especial favorites of mine Brian Floca and Laura Amy Schlitz were collaborating on something, I was pretty excited. If you hold Hired Girl or Moonshot in the same esteem as do I, you know that both of these creators have an knack for historical fiction. I guess I was expecting something like Locomotive with more narrative heft to it. My expectations were very high. Then I read the title: Princess Cora and the Crocodile. I had no clue what to think. Well, I just read the result of their collaboration today and I have to say that while it was not the book I had imagined, I was pleasantly surprised.
The premise is very simple: an over-parented princess and a naughty crocodile switch places for the day. When Cora returns home after a day of proud scrapes and dirt and wonder, she attends to the chaos caused by her crocodile and a new standard of living is set for her and her family. A child's need to express his or her inner-wildness is pretty well explored territory in the realm of picture books. There is little in the way of twists or surprises in this story. I have a feeling that if someone described the book to me, I would not be particularly interested. So what makes it work so well? Two very talented people.
Being an illustrator myself, perhaps I am biased, but I really feel like Brian Floca is the one really holding it all together. As I said before, he has a talent for historical fiction. His pictures have a realism and a groundedness to them as well as a looseness and warmth. His books have an appealing sort of sincere plainness to them. Very little is exaggerated. It's like being able to see the world with youthful clarity and to appreciate it, just as it is. That sensibility is very much on display here, with one notable exception: that hilarious crocodile. Perhaps because he exists in a world that is more staid and filled with lots of researched royal details, he absolutely leaps off the page. It is like Brian Floca had a little bit of Quentin Blake hiding in him all along. I never would have thought that he had the potential for the manic slapstick featured in this book. I was utterly delighted.
Yes, Laura Amy Schlitz does her part to elevate this basic concept too. She writes the crocodile very well. He has some great antic and retorts. I laughed out loud multiple times in the bookstore. More subtle but no less important is the series of episodes Cora has during her day of freedom. Schlitz captures a very genuine quality to these experiences with just the right amount of detail. While both creators contribute to a timeless feel, the story does dip its toes in the contemporary. Schlitz is definitely writing for the helicopter parent generation here. And when Cora's father asks her if she is being a 'good girl,' it definitely lead to some feminist discomfort on my part. It is a phrase that has taken on a patronizing quality in this day and age. Whether that was intended on our author's part, I am not altogether sure, but seeing how the story goes for the king, I guess those words did come back to bite him in the butt.
The book ends with the crocodile taking up residence in an elegant fountain on the palace grounds. Knowing the market for these kinds of illustrated chapter books is really heating up these days, maybe it is not too much to hope that there's more to come for this charming duo of characters. Then again, with heavyweights like Laura Amy Schlitz and Brian Floca, who knows when their schedules will align again? There is not much else to say but thank you, thank you, thank you to the good people of Candlewick for putting these two together and giving us this book!
The premise is very simple: an over-parented princess and a naughty crocodile switch places for the day. When Cora returns home after a day of proud scrapes and dirt and wonder, she attends to the chaos caused by her crocodile and a new standard of living is set for her and her family. A child's need to express his or her inner-wildness is pretty well explored territory in the realm of picture books. There is little in the way of twists or surprises in this story. I have a feeling that if someone described the book to me, I would not be particularly interested. So what makes it work so well? Two very talented people.
Being an illustrator myself, perhaps I am biased, but I really feel like Brian Floca is the one really holding it all together. As I said before, he has a talent for historical fiction. His pictures have a realism and a groundedness to them as well as a looseness and warmth. His books have an appealing sort of sincere plainness to them. Very little is exaggerated. It's like being able to see the world with youthful clarity and to appreciate it, just as it is. That sensibility is very much on display here, with one notable exception: that hilarious crocodile. Perhaps because he exists in a world that is more staid and filled with lots of researched royal details, he absolutely leaps off the page. It is like Brian Floca had a little bit of Quentin Blake hiding in him all along. I never would have thought that he had the potential for the manic slapstick featured in this book. I was utterly delighted.
Yes, Laura Amy Schlitz does her part to elevate this basic concept too. She writes the crocodile very well. He has some great antic and retorts. I laughed out loud multiple times in the bookstore. More subtle but no less important is the series of episodes Cora has during her day of freedom. Schlitz captures a very genuine quality to these experiences with just the right amount of detail. While both creators contribute to a timeless feel, the story does dip its toes in the contemporary. Schlitz is definitely writing for the helicopter parent generation here. And when Cora's father asks her if she is being a 'good girl,' it definitely lead to some feminist discomfort on my part. It is a phrase that has taken on a patronizing quality in this day and age. Whether that was intended on our author's part, I am not altogether sure, but seeing how the story goes for the king, I guess those words did come back to bite him in the butt.
The book ends with the crocodile taking up residence in an elegant fountain on the palace grounds. Knowing the market for these kinds of illustrated chapter books is really heating up these days, maybe it is not too much to hope that there's more to come for this charming duo of characters. Then again, with heavyweights like Laura Amy Schlitz and Brian Floca, who knows when their schedules will align again? There is not much else to say but thank you, thank you, thank you to the good people of Candlewick for putting these two together and giving us this book!
March 27, 2017
hat do you get when you combine a Newbery Medalist and a Caldecott Medalist? You get a book that is an absolute delight from beginning to end. That cover alone is bound to make the book fly off the shelf. And the story and illustrations inside do not disappoint. When Princess Cora is born, her parents are overwhelmed by the responsibility of teaching her how to rule a kingdom, so they go completely overboard. Princess Cora spends her days either bathing (3 times a day is barely enough according to her nanny), learning about ruling a kingdom with the Queen (from the most boring books ever written), or exercising in the basement with the King. Every time she tries to object, she's told that's she being inappropriate or given the 'disappointed face'. Finally, in desperation, Cora writes to her fairy godmother asking for a pet dog. The next morning, a pet has arrived, but it's not at all what Princess Cora expected: it's a crocodile.
At first Princess Cora is disappointed, at least until the crocodile dawns one of her dresses and claims that he can take her place. Cora is so desperate that she agrees as long as the crocodile promises not to bite anyone, and makes the crocodile a wig from her nanny's mop. The ridiculous nature of a crocodile taking the place of a young girl is what makes this so funny, especially since the nanny, Queen, and King don't notice at first they are so lost in their routines. Naturally, when the switch is noticed things go dreadfully (and hilariously) wrong. Meanwhile, Cora is having a delightful time climbing trees, wading in streams, and stepping in cow manure (yuck). But when she returns to the castle she finds things in a tizzy and has to find a way to put things back together without things going back to the way they were. The illustrations are delightful. That crocodile in a much too small dress is classic. This is delightful ode to the fairy tale genre while still addressing a common modern day problem of being too busy. One of my favorites of the year so far. I'll be cheering for this one come award season.
At first Princess Cora is disappointed, at least until the crocodile dawns one of her dresses and claims that he can take her place. Cora is so desperate that she agrees as long as the crocodile promises not to bite anyone, and makes the crocodile a wig from her nanny's mop. The ridiculous nature of a crocodile taking the place of a young girl is what makes this so funny, especially since the nanny, Queen, and King don't notice at first they are so lost in their routines. Naturally, when the switch is noticed things go dreadfully (and hilariously) wrong. Meanwhile, Cora is having a delightful time climbing trees, wading in streams, and stepping in cow manure (yuck). But when she returns to the castle she finds things in a tizzy and has to find a way to put things back together without things going back to the way they were. The illustrations are delightful. That crocodile in a much too small dress is classic. This is delightful ode to the fairy tale genre while still addressing a common modern day problem of being too busy. One of my favorites of the year so far. I'll be cheering for this one come award season.
December 21, 2022
Of all the intermediate books I've read recently, this is the only one that I outright disliked. I get it's just supposed to be fun and silly but I don't like the message of "if you don't like what your parents do get an alligator to bite them, tie them up, and lock them in closets while you climb trees and smell the daisies" There's just so many better books to read.
While it's on a completely different level, if you want to read a book that does this theme well check out Dealing With Dragons, one of my favorite books!
While it's on a completely different level, if you want to read a book that does this theme well check out Dealing With Dragons, one of my favorite books!
March 29, 2017
Fans of The Princess in Black series will love this series of another untraditional princess. Princess Cora wants to have some fun but all the adults in her life are too focused on making sure she'll be ready to be queen. How does a crocodile help solve her problems? Find out in this delightful beginning chapter book.
February 15, 2018
Poor Princess Cora is a victim of parents who are obsessed with her development into the role of future ruler of the kingdom. Cora is beset with a nanny who is obsessed with cleanliness and forces her to take three baths a day, a mother who forces her to read boring books all day, and a father who wants her to be strong and forces her to skip rope every day. When Cora requests a dog for a pet, her parents are horrified. She writes a note to her fairy godmother asking her to intervene. To her surprise and dismay, the next day a crocodile is delivered to her in a cardboard box.
This crocodile assures her that he will take charge and teach her tormentors a lesson. He demands only to be fed cream puffs as payment. So Cora escapes into the woods for a day of adventure, climbing trees, eating strawberries, picking buttercups, and getting dirty. In the meantime, her pet crocodile is taking revenge on the nanny, the queen, and the king. At the end of the day when Cora returns she makes her request once more. What has happened at the castle? Have the adults learned a lesson? How will Cora be treated in the future?
This story presents the inner conflicts of Cora and the adult versus child conflict clearly. Cora is a strong female role model, who is also obedient and respectful. The soft watercolor illustrations with a vintage feel are soft and appealing. The crocodile character adds humor and a hint of naughtiness. I would especially recommend this chapter book for second and third graders who are comfortable with the seventy-page length and some challenging vocabulary.
This crocodile assures her that he will take charge and teach her tormentors a lesson. He demands only to be fed cream puffs as payment. So Cora escapes into the woods for a day of adventure, climbing trees, eating strawberries, picking buttercups, and getting dirty. In the meantime, her pet crocodile is taking revenge on the nanny, the queen, and the king. At the end of the day when Cora returns she makes her request once more. What has happened at the castle? Have the adults learned a lesson? How will Cora be treated in the future?
This story presents the inner conflicts of Cora and the adult versus child conflict clearly. Cora is a strong female role model, who is also obedient and respectful. The soft watercolor illustrations with a vintage feel are soft and appealing. The crocodile character adds humor and a hint of naughtiness. I would especially recommend this chapter book for second and third graders who are comfortable with the seventy-page length and some challenging vocabulary.
May 25, 2024
I usually don’t review the books I read to my children, but re-reading this today with them cemented it as one of *my* favorite books. It’s a long list, but this is on it.
It’s so funny and satisfying. It’s poignant at times. It’s not too heavy handed and I delight in the crocodile. Also, the parents! They are caricatures, sure, but they show something that’s really inside us when we love something and are so scared we might screw it up: we might accidentally smother it with our protection instead. I loved the way the author wrote them and hope to raise children who can say out loud their wants and needs and me be the kind of parent who can really hear and respond to them. Not that the kids run the show, but that the kids are people too.
The audiobook is wonderfully told, which has made my subsequent read-alouds all the better. The crocodile is so fun to act out if I can manage to not shred my vocal cords doing it.
10/10 would recommend
It’s so funny and satisfying. It’s poignant at times. It’s not too heavy handed and I delight in the crocodile. Also, the parents! They are caricatures, sure, but they show something that’s really inside us when we love something and are so scared we might screw it up: we might accidentally smother it with our protection instead. I loved the way the author wrote them and hope to raise children who can say out loud their wants and needs and me be the kind of parent who can really hear and respond to them. Not that the kids run the show, but that the kids are people too.
The audiobook is wonderfully told, which has made my subsequent read-alouds all the better. The crocodile is so fun to act out if I can manage to not shred my vocal cords doing it.
10/10 would recommend
February 10, 2018
I normally don't review picture books and beginner chapter books on here, but I made an exception for this one since I've seen it tossed around as a potential award winner this year (we'll find out in a couple of days).
It is a cute enough story about a princess who is tired of having such a rigid, structured, life with everyone telling her what to do and having no fun or freedom to be herself. She writes a letter to her fairy Godmother, and the next day receives a mysterious package containing a crocodile who offers to eat everyone she's upset with. Instead, she has the crocodile take her place for the day, while she leaves the castle and does whatever she feels like for a a day. Upon her return, she finds the crocodile has made a mess of things, but this leads to her being able to finally communicate her feelings to her parents.
The story has a good message about finding your voice and learning to speak up for yourself. It is a cute enough story, the only negative was I thought the author dwelled a bit too long on the crocodile munching on the King's rear end. But I wasn't "wow-ed" by any means, so I would be suprised to see it as a Newberry honor book or medalist, but then again I often am, so we will see!
It is a cute enough story about a princess who is tired of having such a rigid, structured, life with everyone telling her what to do and having no fun or freedom to be herself. She writes a letter to her fairy Godmother, and the next day receives a mysterious package containing a crocodile who offers to eat everyone she's upset with. Instead, she has the crocodile take her place for the day, while she leaves the castle and does whatever she feels like for a a day. Upon her return, she finds the crocodile has made a mess of things, but this leads to her being able to finally communicate her feelings to her parents.
The story has a good message about finding your voice and learning to speak up for yourself. It is a cute enough story, the only negative was I thought the author dwelled a bit too long on the crocodile munching on the King's rear end. But I wasn't "wow-ed" by any means, so I would be suprised to see it as a Newberry honor book or medalist, but then again I often am, so we will see!
May 19, 2025
Read to my 6yo daughter (who picked the 3.5 star rating) over the course of a 30-45 minute drive. The whole family thought it was cute. It's broken into chapters, possibly just for the purpose of dividing it for those who plan to read it over the course of several bedtimes or something, because it doesn't need them.
September 12, 2025
A fun story, but the illustrations make it. Cora's petticoat tent in the pines, the scrape on her right elbow, her face hidden by her jump rope handles. Although, perhaps she is a bit too tall for a 7yo.
There is a category of book I don't have a proper shelf for. A picture book with chapters, though not a chapter book. Mercy Watson, The Princess in Black, and this.
There is a category of book I don't have a proper shelf for. A picture book with chapters, though not a chapter book. Mercy Watson, The Princess in Black, and this.
July 25, 2020
Es fácil ignorar los sentimientos de los niños de manera constante entre tanta preocupación de adultos. Testarudos somos muchas veces. Impacientes en otras y no nos percatamos que los más pequeños puedes hacer y tomar desiciones que uno como adulto también puede aprovechar en su beneficio.
July 1, 2023
The kids loved listening to me read it. Wouldn’t let me stop. 😂
April 30, 2022
Supersimpatica povestea. Printesa Cora doreste sa poata face ceea ce doreste fara sa i se spuna nu, la fiecare pas. Si asa Crocodilul ii sare in ajutor.
March 6, 2018
We picked this up at the library without knowing anything about it. It was cute and clever and had my girls and I laughing! I would probably buy it if I ran across a paperback copy. It’s on par with Princess in Black or Mercy Watson (it has lots of pictures and has nice, short chapters).
March 28, 2017
With the winning Newbery/Caldecott pairing of Laura Amy Schlitz and Brian Floca behind Princess Cora and the Crocodile, there's no where to go but up. Soothing pastel watercolor illustrations bring each page to life, amp up the action, and relay emotions at every turn. It was a real treat to have a true picture book meshed into a chapter book. And the story didn't give up a single moment. Each character personality shines through with authentic dialog. Schlitz does a masterful job of helping the reader empathize with main character Princess Cora's predicament. Princess Cora is faced with rigorous book study, three baths each day, and grueling physical fitness meant for shaping her into a proper princess. But with so much princess prep, she has no time left for fun, relaxation, or desires. Enter the unexpected. A crocodile may not have been what Princess Cora had in mind but it's exactly what the reader craves: Humor, unpredictability, and recklessness. A recipe for a story that children will beg to reread.
February 6, 2018
Poor Princess Cora’s life is a strictly regimented round of baths and lessons, until the day her fairy godmother sends an unruly crocodile to shake things up!
This early chapter book is a pleasant, gently funny read. Recommended to anyone who likes reading about princesses — or crocodiles!
This early chapter book is a pleasant, gently funny read. Recommended to anyone who likes reading about princesses — or crocodiles!
March 27, 2017
Candlewick Press, 2017
Fantasy
74 pages
Recommended for grades 1-4
Princess Cora has it bad. Cora's days are tightly scheduled with bathing (Nanny's thrice-a-day demand), reading (dull books chosen by her mother), and by incessant workouts run by her father (mainly involving a jump rope). When Cora wishes for a dog to become her companion, she is granted a pet that is very much not an adorable yellow puppy.
But maybe this crocodile could turn out to be ok. He volunteers to dress up like Cora to fool (and set straight) her nanny and parents. Of course this plan is doomed. But while it is unfurling, Cora is outside experiencing a day of her own making.
Delightful illustrations bring this thoughtful and silly story to life.
Fantasy
74 pages
Recommended for grades 1-4
Princess Cora has it bad. Cora's days are tightly scheduled with bathing (Nanny's thrice-a-day demand), reading (dull books chosen by her mother), and by incessant workouts run by her father (mainly involving a jump rope). When Cora wishes for a dog to become her companion, she is granted a pet that is very much not an adorable yellow puppy.
But maybe this crocodile could turn out to be ok. He volunteers to dress up like Cora to fool (and set straight) her nanny and parents. Of course this plan is doomed. But while it is unfurling, Cora is outside experiencing a day of her own making.
Delightful illustrations bring this thoughtful and silly story to life.
March 29, 2017
Has your child ever felt over worked and unappreciated? Then pity poor Princess Cora, who has to take 3 baths a day, study extremely boring books, and skip rope 500x in the old dungeon. Then her fairy godmother sends her a crocodile to take her place while she goes outside and has adventures. Too bad the crocodile isn't a very good princess: he ends up biting and then complaining about the lack of cream puffs. Lots of pen and watercolor pictures make this appropriate for 2-4th graders
March 30, 2017
I read this aloud to Juliet and we were both utterly enchanted. The story is clever and surprising and the illustrations are perfect. I'm already looking forward to reading it again.
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