Help identifying a children's book from the 80s?
January 13, 2019 4:43 PM Subscribe
Looking for a children's book from the 80s wherein a crocodile cooks soup.
Does anyone remember this book? The drawings were quite delightful--I believe the crocodile, wearing a tall chef's hat, was making chicken soup, and the ingredients, the way they were drawn, looked irresistible, really, especially after the crocodile had diced them (little carrot coins, celery). One thing I remember distinctly about this book is that when he slices the onions he mentions that chopping onions always makes him cry.
It's possible this was only published in Canada. Any leads appreciated.
Does anyone remember this book? The drawings were quite delightful--I believe the crocodile, wearing a tall chef's hat, was making chicken soup, and the ingredients, the way they were drawn, looked irresistible, really, especially after the crocodile had diced them (little carrot coins, celery). One thing I remember distinctly about this book is that when he slices the onions he mentions that chopping onions always makes him cry.
It's possible this was only published in Canada. Any leads appreciated.
Response by poster: It wasn't Lyle, though it does seem like something he'd do.
posted by Miss T.Horn at 5:04 PM on January 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Miss T.Horn at 5:04 PM on January 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
I can’t find an image, but could it be from Really Rosie? It has alligators and chicken soup for sure.
posted by MadamM at 5:07 PM on January 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by MadamM at 5:07 PM on January 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Lyle only eats Turkish caviar!
There's this Really Rosie clip (featuring music by Carole King) on YouTube if that sparks any recollections for you. It doesn't have this specific image, though, which I feel like I also remember from childhood.
posted by halation at 5:12 PM on January 13, 2019
There's this Really Rosie clip (featuring music by Carole King) on YouTube if that sparks any recollections for you. It doesn't have this specific image, though, which I feel like I also remember from childhood.
posted by halation at 5:12 PM on January 13, 2019
Maurice Sendak's Chicken Soup with Rice has a crocodile, but not that image, I don't think.
posted by metasarah at 5:24 PM on January 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by metasarah at 5:24 PM on January 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
Best answer: 1985's Christopher Crocodile Cooks a Meal, by Andrzej Krauze? Here's the book cover at eBay (UK).
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:21 PM on January 13, 2019
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:21 PM on January 13, 2019
I was searching around and I keep coming across the book Alexander and the Magic Mouse by Martha Sanders. If your description is the whole plot of the book, this is a bad guess, but if you are describing one scene it is a possibility. If it is wrong it still looks delightful!
posted by Emmy Rae at 6:44 PM on January 13, 2019
posted by Emmy Rae at 6:44 PM on January 13, 2019
Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee! There’s an alligator making soup. It’s Canadian and was popular in the 80s. I’d bet beer that’s it.
posted by bighappyhairydog at 8:02 PM on January 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by bighappyhairydog at 8:02 PM on January 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Sendak's Chicken Soup With Rice has an image of a turtle in a tall chef's hat stirring a pot of soup, There's a crocodile in the story, but not in the soup-making part.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 12:36 AM on January 14, 2019
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 12:36 AM on January 14, 2019
Sendak had Alligator's All Around as well - that was sold in a four-pack of books called the Nutshell Library. Chicken Soup With Rice was in the same pack. So that's definitely where my brain went (especially because it's Sendak art!) but I can't remember any of the Sendak characters mentioning onions making them cry...
posted by librarianamy at 5:21 AM on January 14, 2019
posted by librarianamy at 5:21 AM on January 14, 2019
Response by poster: It is Christopher Crocodile Cooks a Meal! Thank you, everyone!
posted by Miss T.Horn at 10:06 AM on January 14, 2019
posted by Miss T.Horn at 10:06 AM on January 14, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Rash at 4:57 PM on January 13, 2019 [2 favorites]