Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
228th out of 369 books
—
188 voters
I'd Really Like to Eat a Child
A scrawny little crocodile wants the opportunity to bite off more than he can chew. He's tired of bananas; today he'd like to eat a child. But he's smaller than he thinks, and the little girl he chooses for his first meal puts him in his place—she picks him up and tickles his tummy! The little crocodile is going to have to eat a lot of bananas and grow a lot bigger before...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
April 24th 2007
by Random House Books for Young Readers
(first published 2004)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
663)
Oct 06, 2009
Abigail
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Young Readers with a Sense of Humor
Shelves:
picture-books
Review Temporarily Removed.
Achilles is a baby crocodile with a dream. Instead of the bananas his mom and dad feed him for breakfast, he would prefer a child. In an attempt to convince his parents to stop feeding him bananas, little Achilles refuses to eat. The tears and bribes of Mama and Papa Crocodile do not convince Achilles to give up his dream. When Achilles finally does come face-to-face with a child, it does not go quite as he planned.
Students will relate to not wanting to eat what their parents give them. Achill...more
Students will relate to not wanting to eat what their parents give them. Achill...more
Donnio, S. (2007). I'd Really Like to Eat a Child. New York: Random House.
9780375837616
Let me repeat. The title of this book is "I'd Really Like to Eat a Child." That alone made me want to read it.
I wasn't disappointed.
Appetizer: Achilles, a baby crocodile, is tired of eating bananas for breakfast. He doesn't even want sausage. So, he refuses to eat until he gets what he really wants and he would really like to eat a child. And when he sees a girl on the river's edge, all by herself, he tries t...more
9780375837616
Let me repeat. The title of this book is "I'd Really Like to Eat a Child." That alone made me want to read it.
I wasn't disappointed.
Appetizer: Achilles, a baby crocodile, is tired of eating bananas for breakfast. He doesn't even want sausage. So, he refuses to eat until he gets what he really wants and he would really like to eat a child. And when he sees a girl on the river's edge, all by herself, he tries t...more
Sometimes a book's title is too perfect. When I discovered this book on a shelf in a toy store in Seattle, I knew it would make a most amusing addition to the collection I keep in the principal's office. (Runner up that day: Monsters Eat Whiny Children. Oh, how I'd love to meet the store's buyer!)
One clever young office visitor spotted the book and fought unsuccessfully to repress his grin. It was a command reading.
Achilles the crocodile is seemingly content to feast on bananas and the occasiona...more
One clever young office visitor spotted the book and fought unsuccessfully to repress his grin. It was a command reading.
Achilles the crocodile is seemingly content to feast on bananas and the occasiona...more
This was one of those spontaneous purchases that really pays off. I'd never heard of this book when my son picked it out at the book store. It's clever, it's silly and it even gives some useful information (if you don't eat your breakfast, you'll feel weird and if you don't eat well, you won't be big enough to achieve your dreams). The language flows well, making it a pleasure to read aloud, and is definitely not dumbed-down for kids, which is the best way to add to their vocabulary.
The story fo...more
The story fo...more
While this one seems to disturb other people, I find it adorably hilarious. The idea of a crocodile wanting to eat a child seems natural and appropriate and the simplistic charm of the illustrations suspends any aspects of fear for me. I know that other people think that a child reading the book might be afraid of being eaten after reading it, but the violent aspects of the book seem more funny and comical than harmful. If you compare it to fairytales, which often include physical and gory viole...more
One of my favourite children's books. Lovely illustrations - cartoon style sketches with great expressions that really make you relate to the little crocodile. Each page has different variations of colour of skyline. Repetition and descriptive language - children can join in with 'i'd really like to eat a child!'. This is a very endearing story line focusing on understanding ones size and being aware of what you can and cannot do. reflect the sense of accomplishment that children have when they...more
I saw this book recommended at the bookstore and then had to endure it during story time with my 3-year-old at the museum. It's bizarre and frightening - nightmarish stuff, really. What child wants to think about alligators who are plotting to gobble them up? I figured the end would be somehow redeeming, but no - at the end, the alligator plans to eat more bananas to grow big and strong "so I can eat a child." My 3-year-old kept giving me wide-eyed looks through the whole book - I wish I had jus...more
Achilles the young crocodile usually has a banana for breakfast, just like his mother. But one day, he decides he wants a child to eat. His father tries to tempt him with a sausage, both parents bake a huge chocolate cake; nothing works. One day, Achilles decides to take a swim in the river. When he gets there a young girl is playing. He creeps up behind her with every intention of eating her. However when he gets close enough the little girl turns, sees him and exclaims with pleasure over this...more
It's cute, witty and, by virtue of adeptly mixing those two elements, very clever.
Or it's crass, fear-inducing and inappropriate for children.
What's the answer? That parents shouldn't conservatively assume children can't handle dark humor, but also that parents shouldn't liberally assume all children of all ages can.
As with the brilliantly dark works of Jon Sczieska and Roald Dahl, I would not give this book to any child under the age of six. Depending upon the child, I might not give it to them...more
Or it's crass, fear-inducing and inappropriate for children.
What's the answer? That parents shouldn't conservatively assume children can't handle dark humor, but also that parents shouldn't liberally assume all children of all ages can.
As with the brilliantly dark works of Jon Sczieska and Roald Dahl, I would not give this book to any child under the age of six. Depending upon the child, I might not give it to them...more
Ages 3-8 Achilles is a baby crocodile. One morning, he refuses to eat any bananas for breakfast because he has his heart set on eating one thing only: “I’d really like to eat a child.” The youngster sulks and holds out until he finally meets a child down by the river. Instead of being scared, though, the little girl thinks the “teeny-tiny crocodile is “awfully cute” and “so scrawny.” She catches Achilles, tickles his belly and throws him back in the river. Achilles returns home determined to eat...more
What better way to get kids to eat their veggies than to tempt them with an ultimate goal: growing big enough to eat a human child.
I <3 this book.
I <3 this book.
1 like · like · see review
I laugh every time I read this book! The drawings of Achilles are adorable.
Oh, what fun it is to read this book aloud to children!
finally someone had the courage to say what we've all been thinking.
2 likes · like · see review
I’d Really Like to Eat a Child tells the story of a little Alligator, Achilles, who is tired of his daily fare of bananas and decides he has a hankering for a small child instead. Mama and Papa Alligator find this idea ludicrous, and try to dissuade him by offering sausage or a chocolate cake. No dice. The hungry Achilles finally wanders down to the river for a swim, and lo and behold…there sits a child. What happens next is a hilarious lesson in perspective. The story is clever, though make sur...more
Featured at An Abundance of Books
Young Achilles wakes up one day and decides that he would really like to eat a child. His mother only has bananas for him and points out that "children don't grow on banana trees". Achilles refuses the bananas in hopes for a child for breakfast. Later on his father brings him a giant sausage. Achilles refuses this meal also, even though his father tells him that "there's no such thing as a sausage made from children".
His parents decide to appeal to their son's sw...more
Young Achilles wakes up one day and decides that he would really like to eat a child. His mother only has bananas for him and points out that "children don't grow on banana trees". Achilles refuses the bananas in hopes for a child for breakfast. Later on his father brings him a giant sausage. Achilles refuses this meal also, even though his father tells him that "there's no such thing as a sausage made from children".
His parents decide to appeal to their son's sw...more
Now here’s a lovely sentiment: I’d Really Like to Eat a Child by Sylvianne Donnio • Illustrated by Dorothée de Monfreid (don't you ever just get to feeling that way [like when the little darlings are running about the library making lots of loud, annoying kiddie-type noises crashing into other patrons and library displays and such; and their parents are wandering about {or surfing the internet} blithely ignoring their responsibilities~makes a librarian want to rampage...]?). Achilles is a baby c...more
The young croc, Achilles, doesn't want to eat the bananas, sausage, or chocolate cake supplied by Mama Crocodile. Instead he says, "I'd really like to eat a child."
First of all, it gets a top ten best title ever award. Second, the story delivers a great read aloud, offering up a good dose of fun. The text is charming and the illustrations are quite fitting (though a bit simplistic).
I think little boys will especially like it.
Highly recommended.
First of all, it gets a top ten best title ever award. Second, the story delivers a great read aloud, offering up a good dose of fun. The text is charming and the illustrations are quite fitting (though a bit simplistic).
I think little boys will especially like it.
Highly recommended.
Achilles, the baby crocodile, gets tired one day of eating bananas and declares that he would like to eat a child. Achilles' parents worry about him and try to get him to eat various other foods, to no avail. So, Achilles heads out to the river and encounters just what he was looking for, but not exactly the ending he had in mind. The illustrations are not particularly stunning, but the text is nice and the concept would go over well with the storytime crowds.
A great picture book about a little scrawny crocodile that really wants to eat a child, however his parents try to talk him out of it. Even though he loves his parents he just won’t listen to what they have to say. A great read aloud for what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it and sometimes just sometimes mom and dad may be right. I read this for a lesson to my first graders and they were so surprised and excited to see what happens next.
So, I wouldn't read this to my infant child -- the book's suggestion that alligators are hungry for your flesh and that, even now, there is an alligator eating his breakfast so that he'll be big enough to chomp you down in a single bite is a little scary. But! For those of us who live in non-alligator-populated areas and who are looking for a fun children's book for slightly older readers, this fit the bill nicely.
Unique, interesting, and I loved that my kid "got it." Some might be put off by the ending, but she was thoroughly entertained and at the end declared that what you can learn from this book is that sometimes you have to do things you may not want to do to get what you want in the end. (I would add as long as it isn't harmful...like eating bananas.)
A simple story, kind of offensive, funny scenes, and a satisfying ending. Great! When read aloud at storytime, some parents are kind of uncomfortably silent at the beginning, but by the end of the book they get the joke and end up checking it out. The kids pretty much like it right from the beginning.
The title captivated my son immediately. The book is kind of cute, but I found the end rather odd. It's like the author is leaving the door open for a sequel which doesn't work well for a young children's book. My reptile-loving son still enjoyed it, but it wasn't what I had hoped.
Cute story, simple and straight-forward, a worthy read. The narrative gives plenty to talk about later (being a picky eater but needing to eat what's given you, taking on more than you can handle/ before you're big enough to do it, etc)
I really enjoyed that this book put a twist on cute and cuddly stories. I think that the humor could be lost when it comes to really young children. I think it would be an ok read for 2nd or third graders
My favorite new picture book. I think it's going to be a while before I find something that tops this. Go out and read it to a kid you love today! It's a wonderful book to share with others!
One morning Achilles, a young crocodile, insists that he will eat a child that day and refuses all other food, but when he actually finds a little girl, she puts him in his place.
Baby crocodile does NOT want to eat bananas,he wants to eat a child. And so off her goes, searching for a yummy toddler to eat...very funny ending. I won't spoil it for you.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Sep 23, 2009 10:40am
Sep 23, 2009 10:45am