Party Croc! A Folktale from Zimbabwe

A girl strikes an impulsive bargain with a crocodile in MacDonald’s (The Boy from the Dragon Palace) retelling of a folktale attributed to the Shona people in Zimbabwe. Fetching water from a pool swarming with fish, Zuva wishes aloud that she could catch some. When a crocodile asks what Zuva will give him if he helps her out, she invites him to a party on Saturday, figuring he couldn’t get into town and wouldn’t know when it was Saturday, anyway. All week, Croc exuberantly asks passersby what day it is, shouting, “Party! Party! Going to a party! Party! Party! I’m a PARTY CROC!” Newcomer Sullivan’s vivid cartoons capture Croc’s enthusiasm but aren’t enough to offset the repetitive story’s lack of momentum. It takes far too long for Croc to reach the party (after Saturday finally arrives, Zuva spends several pages feeding Croc before they get to the festivities), and he’s promptly ejected by the townspeople when he does arrive. The closing message, delivered by Zuva’s father (“Never invite a crocodile to a party! And never make a promise you cannot keep”) gets lost in a muddled conclusion. Ages 4–7. (Mar.)