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小心有鱷魚！
Who will catch that crocodile that's terrifying everyone in town?
Probin policeman with his stick?
Can Doctor Dutta do the trick?
Will Bhayanak Singh drag it away?
Or is the crocodile here to stay?
But then there is another
Who says a crocodile should be caught?
Acclaimed Indian poet Anushka Ravishankar's hilarious nonsense-verse tale, of a rampant reptile and his hapless assailants, carries a subtle conservationist message. Another classic from the award-winning team behind Tiger on a Tree.
Catch that Crocodile! is also available in a limited handmade edition, screen-printed and bound by Tara Publishing's team of skilled artisans.
Probin policeman with his stick?
Can Doctor Dutta do the trick?
Will Bhayanak Singh drag it away?
Or is the crocodile here to stay?
But then there is another
Who says a crocodile should be caught?
Acclaimed Indian poet Anushka Ravishankar's hilarious nonsense-verse tale, of a rampant reptile and his hapless assailants, carries a subtle conservationist message. Another classic from the award-winning team behind Tiger on a Tree.
Catch that Crocodile! is also available in a limited handmade edition, screen-printed and bound by Tara Publishing's team of skilled artisans.
Hardcover
Published April 1, 2016
About the author
Anushka Ravishankar
73 books55 followersAnushka Ravishankar, a mathematics graduate, has made a name for herself internationally as an Indian children’s writer, with over 10 books of verse, fiction and non-fiction. Her special talent is in the area of nonsense verse, where she brilliantly adapts this difficult genre to Indian English usage, without a false note. Anushka Ravishankar can be said to have pioneered the Indian English nonsense verse form and brought it to international attention. She recently returned from a UK tour with Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen, at the Children’s Bookshow.
from http://www.tarabooks.com/about/authors/
from http://www.tarabooks.com/about/authors/
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 15, 2020
Anushka Ravishankar - whose recent
To Market! To Market!
was such an entertaining read-aloud - delivers another picture-book winner with Catch That Crocodile! When Falguni Fruitseller comes upon a crocodile in a ditch, chaos ensues, as everyone from Probin Policeman to Bhayanak Singh, the wrestler, attempts to catch it. Finally, it is little Meena who comes up with a solution...
With a rhyming text that is a pleasure to read aloud - "Wh...what! H...how? Wh...why? Wh...which? / CROCODILE! CROCODILE! In the ditch! / Where did it comes from? How did it come? The river is far - It couldn't have swum" - and bold illustrations in black, white and green, this appealing picture-book is another example of why I love Tara Books' children's catalogue. Creative artwork, innovative and high-quality design, and engaging narratives, are all to be found in their titles, and Catch That Crocodile! is no exception! Young readers with a taste for fun nonsense rhymes will definitely appreciate this one!
With a rhyming text that is a pleasure to read aloud - "Wh...what! H...how? Wh...why? Wh...which? / CROCODILE! CROCODILE! In the ditch! / Where did it comes from? How did it come? The river is far - It couldn't have swum" - and bold illustrations in black, white and green, this appealing picture-book is another example of why I love Tara Books' children's catalogue. Creative artwork, innovative and high-quality design, and engaging narratives, are all to be found in their titles, and Catch That Crocodile! is no exception! Young readers with a taste for fun nonsense rhymes will definitely appreciate this one!
August 31, 2008
I have this rant I sometimes launch into where I complain about how few children's books come from other countries. It's one of my favorites. A golden oldie, if you will. Old lady mode hits me hard and I start talking about these whippersnapper publishers that haven't the decency to bring us one teeny tiny picture book from India, say, per year. Would that be so hard? India? But I forget about authors like Anushka Ravishankar and illustrators like Pulak Biswas. A mere four years ago Farrar, Straus & Giroux brought out the duo's visually and audibly stimulating ALA Notable title Tiger on a Tree. With its humor, its particular style, and its fun bouncy rhymes it was one of my favorite books of that year. Then I didn't see anything else come out of India and I forgot about the creators pretty quickly. Therefore, it is with the greatest of pleasure that I discovered that Tara Publishing has brought a Tiger on a Tree follow-up to our shores this year in the form of the humorous Catch That Crocodile! Originally published in 1999 in India, Crocodile follows a group of humans dealing with something supposedly fearsome in a foolish manner.
Falguni Fruitseller was just minding her own business, selling her wares, when in the course of touting her papayas she became the first to discover the crocodile. It seems odd to see it in the village considering how far the river is. And soon the real question becomes, how do they get rid of it? Probin Policeman is the first to try his hand, thwapping down a stick (promptly snapped by the crocodile). Doctor Dutta tries injecting the animal with a syringe (promptly redirected by the crocodile). Bhayanak Sing tries attacking with great strength and courage (promptly scared off by the crocodile). And finally, the little fish seller Meena that everyone has overlooked places fish along the ground... promptly eaten by the crocodile and off it goes into the river.
Part of what I love about Pulak Biswas's art is just how good-natured it all is. His style is reprinted here on a creamy golden paper that looks more like parchment than anything else. Against this background come the thick blacks of his paints with a single jolt of color. In Tiger on a Tree it was orange. Here it is green. From the circles on the crocodile's back to the policeman's leg warmers, the doctor's suit (giving him a kind of Babar look), and the dress of little Meena the fish seller. Biswas's style has been called "folk-art" but I don't know if that's quite how I'd describe it. Certainly I can't identify his methods. Is he using brushes or woodcuts or engravings or what? However he chooses to do it, the result is that most of the humans are constantly fleeing, pushing, staring, gaping, running, and leaping while the crocodile, with his big googly eyes and long snout, sits there taking it all in. I love the energy in this book and the sheer delight Biswas seems to take in telling a good story from a visual perspective.
Readalouds. They're like shiny golden coins poking out of the sand. Rarities, a good readaloud, once found, should be treasured and shared immediately. And Catch That Crocodile! is remarkable because it balances out great visuals with a uniquely fun and bouncy storyline. Under normal circumstances, when I discover that a book rhymes I am filled with dread. It's the rare book where the rhymes flow naturally out of the story. It may have taken me a little while to even realize that the book was rhyming due to the fun fonts and curving words. When you read the first pages of the book it goes, "Falguni Fruitseller sells fresh fruits." And then in increasingly larger letters, "Banana! Guava! Mango! she hoots." When the crocodile is spotted officially the words read, "Wh.. what! H...how? Wh... why? Wh... which? CROCODILE! CROCODILE! In the ditch!" Readalouds usually require their books to have colorful pictures or visuals that are easily seen at a distance. In this case, the pictures are great but what's really going to carry across a room are the fonts.
The true mark of how much a publisher really cares about the book they're putting out is all in the fonts. You can do simple picture books like this one with the standard block of text all nice and neat and arranged in a little block on a white space on the page. Or you can do what we find here. When Falguni Fruitseller sees the crocodile mid-call her word "papaya" becomes a curving, sloping "Come and buy a fresh papayaaaaaAAAAAA." The letters then begin to take on a life of their own, turning and twisting to better suit the action. When Probin Policeman bring down his stick near the "wicked reptile", the crocodile breaks it in two with an almighty "SNAP!" leaving the "a" in that word backwards. And when Bhayanak Singh leaps towards the crocodile screaming his head off the man is virtually propelled forward by his own massive, "Hayakilikilee".
I can't think of a better argument for an increased presence of international picture books on our shelves than this wonderful Ravishankar/Biswas product. Fun. It is fun. It's pretty, good on the ears, and well produced as well, sure. But kids like fun. Grown-ups like fun. Everybody likes picture books that are fun. This one is. Be sure you don't miss it.
Ages 4-8
Falguni Fruitseller was just minding her own business, selling her wares, when in the course of touting her papayas she became the first to discover the crocodile. It seems odd to see it in the village considering how far the river is. And soon the real question becomes, how do they get rid of it? Probin Policeman is the first to try his hand, thwapping down a stick (promptly snapped by the crocodile). Doctor Dutta tries injecting the animal with a syringe (promptly redirected by the crocodile). Bhayanak Sing tries attacking with great strength and courage (promptly scared off by the crocodile). And finally, the little fish seller Meena that everyone has overlooked places fish along the ground... promptly eaten by the crocodile and off it goes into the river.
Part of what I love about Pulak Biswas's art is just how good-natured it all is. His style is reprinted here on a creamy golden paper that looks more like parchment than anything else. Against this background come the thick blacks of his paints with a single jolt of color. In Tiger on a Tree it was orange. Here it is green. From the circles on the crocodile's back to the policeman's leg warmers, the doctor's suit (giving him a kind of Babar look), and the dress of little Meena the fish seller. Biswas's style has been called "folk-art" but I don't know if that's quite how I'd describe it. Certainly I can't identify his methods. Is he using brushes or woodcuts or engravings or what? However he chooses to do it, the result is that most of the humans are constantly fleeing, pushing, staring, gaping, running, and leaping while the crocodile, with his big googly eyes and long snout, sits there taking it all in. I love the energy in this book and the sheer delight Biswas seems to take in telling a good story from a visual perspective.
Readalouds. They're like shiny golden coins poking out of the sand. Rarities, a good readaloud, once found, should be treasured and shared immediately. And Catch That Crocodile! is remarkable because it balances out great visuals with a uniquely fun and bouncy storyline. Under normal circumstances, when I discover that a book rhymes I am filled with dread. It's the rare book where the rhymes flow naturally out of the story. It may have taken me a little while to even realize that the book was rhyming due to the fun fonts and curving words. When you read the first pages of the book it goes, "Falguni Fruitseller sells fresh fruits." And then in increasingly larger letters, "Banana! Guava! Mango! she hoots." When the crocodile is spotted officially the words read, "Wh.. what! H...how? Wh... why? Wh... which? CROCODILE! CROCODILE! In the ditch!" Readalouds usually require their books to have colorful pictures or visuals that are easily seen at a distance. In this case, the pictures are great but what's really going to carry across a room are the fonts.
The true mark of how much a publisher really cares about the book they're putting out is all in the fonts. You can do simple picture books like this one with the standard block of text all nice and neat and arranged in a little block on a white space on the page. Or you can do what we find here. When Falguni Fruitseller sees the crocodile mid-call her word "papaya" becomes a curving, sloping "Come and buy a fresh papayaaaaaAAAAAA." The letters then begin to take on a life of their own, turning and twisting to better suit the action. When Probin Policeman bring down his stick near the "wicked reptile", the crocodile breaks it in two with an almighty "SNAP!" leaving the "a" in that word backwards. And when Bhayanak Singh leaps towards the crocodile screaming his head off the man is virtually propelled forward by his own massive, "Hayakilikilee".
I can't think of a better argument for an increased presence of international picture books on our shelves than this wonderful Ravishankar/Biswas product. Fun. It is fun. It's pretty, good on the ears, and well produced as well, sure. But kids like fun. Grown-ups like fun. Everybody likes picture books that are fun. This one is. Be sure you don't miss it.
Ages 4-8
April 27, 2008
I had written a longish review but this stupid website didn't save it. So I'll just give the one-sentence essential summary: loved this book, in the same spirit as Tiger in the Tree, the heroine is a little girl who succeeds where all this big, important men fail (so sends a positive message), highly recommended.
December 5, 2017
Summary/Personal Response: A story of a heroine, clever girl who solves the issue that a group of men in he city, catching that crocodile! This is a historical story of a loose crocodile and a bunch of men who just don't make the cut. The story originated in another country and is not only funny but a diversified book for children.
February 19, 2019
A beautifully illustrated book that is guaranteed to delight both children and adults alike. The language is simple, and the typography is communicative. It's humorous and I loved reading it even as a 24 year old.
July 26, 2021
very good book , i like it ☺☺☺
August 3, 2022
Great book for children
September 13, 2022
Catch that crocodile is more interesting than Tiger on the tree, not only the rhyme but the exciting story. Especially the person in the story, they are so charming.
November 19, 2022
Once again, a child saves a group of adults (however, this time, from a crocodile).
July 2, 2026
A picture book with illustrations.
February 16, 2017
Beautiful illustrations, small chunk of text, great use of text size. It is wonderful to have a perfectly great children's story that originated in another language both to broaden children's world view and add diversity to who can find themselves in a book at the library. I also love that the problem in this book is solved by a clever young girl.
February 24, 2016
I like because it is good book!
March 27, 2017
I picked this up for a good friend's son and I must say I am so glad I did. The USP is that a child is the one who solves the mystery or case. Second the rhymes are absolutely delightful. Anusha Ravishankar is simply brilliant in this book.
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December 5, 2017Summary/Personal Response: A story of a heroine, clever girl who solves the issue that a group of men in he city, catching that crocodile! This is a historical story of a loose crocodile and a bunch of men who just don't make the cut. The story originated in another country and is not only funny but a diversified book for children.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews