Melrose and Croc: A Christmas to Remember

Melrose And Croc

by Emma Chichester Clark

It's Christmas Eve, and both Melrose and Croc are all alone in the city. They dream of a wonderful Christmas but feel sad when there is no one to share it with. It might have been their loneliest holiday ever, if not for a collision with fate. Could this be the beginning of a magical Christmas, and the start of a cherished friendship?

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Holiday, Friendship, Audiobook

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2005

About the author

Education:
Chelsea School of Art, B.A. (with honors), 1978;
Royal College of Art, M.A. (with honors), 1983.

Additional information about her life can be found at:
http://biography.jrank.org/pages/1059...

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming tale of two lonely city dwellers who meet and become friends during the holiday season. Adorable! With gorgeous artwork by the author.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my childhood books I have that I’m reminded of this Xmas due to spending it alone this year. It’s so so cute omg! And I’m celebrating alone in the city too just like them! Maybe I’ll go out tomorrow and find my version of croc! :.) 🐊🎄🐕

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sweetest little story about two animals who need a friend finding each other in time for Christmas.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A croc and a dog all alone in the big city at Christmas. 🐊🐕

This will be the moment when their lives change and they have a friend for life. 🎅🎄

I read the other books in this series earlier this year, but saved this one for the Christmas season.

Here are some lovely things about this read:

✨The snowy scene on the cover sparkles with glitter. Melrose and Croc are skating together after their first meeting at the ice rink.
🎅Croc is in town to meet Santa. He misses the big guy and feels lost. Watch for the pic where Melrose drives right past him in the street.
⛄ It's a winter wonderland at the ice rink. Melrose has been hoping for a friend for Christmas. Soon he will bump right into Croc.
🚗 My favorite picture shows Melrose driving his signature red convertible with a big Christmas tree in the back seat and Croc riding in the passenger seat.

A new friend is a delightful Christmas surprise.🎅🎄

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely Christmas story about Melrose and Croc. Both of the characters are lonely at Christmas, feeling disappointed about being by themselves. They bump into each other when ice skating and decide to spend Christmas together.
The story is told through two characters simultaneously, with their storylines overlapping through the book. At the end of the book, their stories come together as they spend Christmas at Melrose's house.
A nice read-aloud story for FS and KS1 children around Christmas time.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A crocodile and a golden retriever, both new to the city find themselves alone on Christmas eve. A chance encounter at a public ice skating rink leads to what becomes a new friendship as they spend their Christmas holiday together.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average Christmas story...not a great plot.

[Jackie Mancuso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

[Barbara Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is cute, but it is the Emma Chichester Clark illustrations that captured my heart.

[Rebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this story

[Taurean Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a series of books starring a dog named Melrose and the plucky little reptile, Croc. Like “Herman and Rosie” this is a story about two lonely souls in the big city, but gives a more childlike quality to the characters and a softer tone to the charming illustrations by author-illustrator Emma Chichester Clark, best known for her “Blue Kangaroo” series, the first of which won the Christopher Award

Those of you who grew up watching “Oswald” back before Nick Jr. was its own channel (Created by author-illustrator Dan Yaccarino) Melrose and Croc have that unassuming quirkiness that stands out from other books.

I honestly feel in love with Melrose and Croc long before I even read a book in the series, buddy stories always get my heart going as I didn’t have many friends growing up, or when I did they moved or I moved and it didn’t last, so books have been healing in a way for my not having a lifelong bond to call my own.

Melrose and Croc is especially endearing to me because like Herman and Rosie, this odd couple creature duo not only become friends, but you get this unspoken sense they’re become the other’s family, too.

Melrose the slightly paternal straight man (Er, dog) and Croc, the adoring kid brother those of you with more wild kid siblings might’ve liked to have instead…(I’m an only rat, so I bow out on that here)

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story because of the main characters, a crocodile and a dog, both sad for the holidays. Croc is depressed because he missed Santa Claus at the local department store and Melrose because he just moved to the city and has no one to celebrate Christmas with. But when they literally bump into each other at a skating rink, they decide to spend Christmas together and they both end up happy.

The illustrations are nice, the only weird plot point was the too-easy transition between meeting for the first time and spilling their depressing Christmas stories to celebrating together. An extra page explaining their mutual sadness would have worked well.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good Christmas book that was different than the other children's books. Wasn't the same ol same ol story. Melrose a dog and Croc a crocodile wants something special for Christmas. They set out (separately) for the big city hoping to find what they are looking for It s Christmas Eve and Santa has already left the department store so Croc couldn't ask him for what he wanted. The two find each other on the ice skating ring and Melrose invites Croc back to his house and they celebrate-decorate the house and he says Santa will be there soon. The two did find what they were looking for a good friend. A nice book to leave you with a smile on your face.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an absolutely delightful tale and the illustrations are adorable too. I highly recommend it. There was one thing that annoyed me a lot, the story is obviously set in the winter with people all bundled up and there is ice and snow, then why, oh why, are there palm trees outside the windows?

[Miss Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

E CLA

Melrose and Croc are both having a difficult Christmas season when plans have been changed. What happens when they literally bump into each other at the skate rink on Christmas eve? It will be a Christmas they will remember.

[571 · Rating 5 out of 5]

PreSchool-Grade 1 SLJ
a story of friendship, Christmas, and hopes coming true

[Emila Yusof · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story with colourful illustrations. I love Croc, the cry-baby crocodile.

[Miri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read any Melrose and Croc books before, but if they are all as cute as this one, I most definitely will be reading them now.

[Friend of Pixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've read this every Christmas for years. Such a sweet story of good friends. This year, we've found some more Melrose and Croc books besides this one.

[TwoDrinks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had hope for this as a Christmas tale. It was ok. But just ok.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable pictures.

[Leyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, perfect for the Christmas season. Looking forward for more Melrose and Croc!