Don’t be afraid of a book! Just the animals in this one! Never Kiss a Crocodile, Never Slap a Skunk is a stimulating way to introduce young people to some of the perils of the natural world—and why they command respect. With full color photos, and a fun fact about each one, Crocodile is a series of humorous rhymed verse poems about 24 animals:
- RISKY REPTILES — rattlesnakes, pythons, crocodiles
- FEARSOME FISH AND FRIENDS — sawfish, stingrays, electric eels, piranhas, man-eating clams, Portuguese man o’ wars, stonefish, and great white sharks
- BAD NEWS BIRD — vultures
- AGONIZING ARACHNIDS — tarantulas, black widow spiders and scorpions
- IRRITATING INSECTS — killer bees, driver ants
- MUTINOUS MAMMALS — porcupines, rhinos, grizzly bears, tigers, vampire bats, and skunks
Never Kiss a Crocodile is the sixth book of rhymed verse poetry, most of them about mythical and imaginary creatures, by Rocky Leplin. But it’s the first that is non-fiction, though with Leplin’s signature semi-eccentric edge.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
Never Kiss a Crocodile, Never Slap a Skunk is a thrilling guide that uses photography, catchy titles, fun facts, and “humorous rhymed verse poetry” to educate and entertain readers about 24 animals in the following categories: “Risky Reptiles,” “Fearsome Fish and Friends,” “Bad News Bird,” “Agonizing Arachnids,” “Irritating Insects,” and “Mutinous Mammals.” The exhilarating adventure begins with the notorious rattlesnake who, fun fact, the writer states won’t attack unless you try and pick one up. Let’s all agree not to test that theory! Two more reptilians make up the first category before readers move on to the second category, which is also the largest: “Fearsome Fish and Friends.”
Most adults and some kids have seen or at least heard of a sawfish before; however, they might not know the fish are ovoviviparous. The writer didn’t add a punctuation key for the tongue-twisted word or define it, which was an overlooked key element! The author provided numerous facts about the remaining eight creatures under the sea. For example, I discovered piranhas can bark. I also learned the length of a blue-ringed octopus’s arms and how long a Portuguese man o’ war tentacle can be! Oh, readers will find out which fish can roll their eyes! And, thanks to a brilliantly crafted poem, which underwater doesn’t mind eating hair, and which one looks like coral but is definitely not coral.
The book discusses ONE “Bad New Bird” before entering the world of arachnids and insects. Visually, these were my least favorite sections. I liked the facts, though! The poems were okay; they were less engaging and entertaining than the reptiles’. But that is just my opinion; read each section and vote for your favorite!
Finally, book lovers are treated to “Mutinous Animals,” featuring porcupines, rhinos, grizzly bears, tigers, vampire bats, and skunks. Did you know experts theorize that even skunks hate their defensive odor? What about this one: bats can jump? More tantalizing tidbits are ready to discover along the pages of Never Kiss a Crocodile, Never Slap a Skunk. I recommend reading it even if poetry isn’t your favorite literary genre. The fun factoids are worth the read!
There were a few editing mistakes, and I didn’t see the point of the marble image and its grizzly-themed poem. It was unnecessary and hindered the flow of the story. Overall, Never Kiss a Crocodile, Never Slap a Skunk is a wonderful resource book that I suggest sharing with your family or class. I also recommend checking out Rocky Leplin’s other books of rhymed verse!
Amazon’s suggested reading age is 10-16 years. Younger audiences would also enjoy the photos, fun facts, and (maybe) some or all the poems.
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