Melrose and Croc: A Hero's Birthday

Melrose (the dog) plans a birthday outing for his friend Croc (the crocodile, of course), driving him out to a villa by the sea. As a surprise treat, he nips out to the harbour to catch a fish for his friend’s birthday breakfast. Unfortunately, the water turns choppy and the storm carries Melrose far out to sea in his borrowed boat. Meanwhile, Croc begins to feel concerned and goes out to search for his friend…

This sixth story about Melrose and Croc, two good friends who look out for each other, reads beautifully and is accompanied by Chichester Clark’s lovely illustrations. I particularly like the typesetting and layout, including the somewhat sophisticated font though I have to allow this might be less easy to read for certain readers. Font size and spacing around the text work perfectly to tell an engrossing tale. The well-crafted language captures the drama and engages a range of emotional responses. It’s a book young readers will delight in rereading.