Beatrice and Croc Harry: A Novel

by Lawrence Hill

One of Canada's most celebrated author's debut novel for young readers

Beatrice, a young girl of uncertain age, wakes up all alone in a tree house in the forest. How did she arrive in this cozy dwelling, stocked carefully with bookshelves and oatmeal accoutrements? And who has been leaving a trail of clues, composed in delicate purple handwriting?

So begins the adventure of a brave and resilient Black girl's search for identity and healing in bestselling author Lawrence Hill's middle-grade debut. Though Beatrice cannot recall how or why she arrived in the magical forest of Argilia--where every conceivable fish, bird, mammal and reptile coexist, and any creature with a beating heart can communicate with any other--something within tells her that beyond this forest is a family that is waiting anxiously for her return.

Just outside her tree-house door lives Beatrice's most unlikely ally, the enormous and mercurial King Crocodile Croc Harry, who just may have a secret of his own. As they form an unusual truce and work toward their common goal, Beatrice and Croc Harry will learn more about their forest home than they ever could have imagined. And what they learn about themselves may destroy Beatrice's chances of returning home forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Canada, Adventure, Childrens, Read For School

374 pages, Hardcover

First published January 11, 2022

About the author

Hill is the author of ten books of fiction and non-fiction. In 2005, he won his first literary honour: a National Magazine Award for the article “Is Africa’s Pain Black America’s Burden?” published in The Walrus. His first two novels were Some Great Thing and Any Known Blood, and his first non-fiction work to attract national attention was the memoir Black Berry, Sweet Juice: On Being Black and White in Canada. But it was his third novel, The Book of Negroes (HarperCollins Canada, 2007) — published in some countries as Someone Knows My Name and in French as Aminata — that attracted widespread attention in Canada and other countries.

Lawrence Hill’s non-fiction book, Blood: The Stuff of Life was published in September 2013 by House of Anansi Press. Blood is a personal consideration of the physical, social, cultural and psychological aspects of blood, and how it defines, unites and divides us. Hill drew from the book to deliver the 2013 Massey Lectures across Canada.

In 2013, Hill published the essay Dear Sir, I Intend to Burn Your Book: An Anatomy of a Book Burning (University of Alberta Press).

His fourth novel, The Illegal, was published by HarperCollins Canada in 2015 and by WW Norton in the USA in 2016.

Hill is currently writing a new novel and a children’s book, and co-writing a television miniseries adaptation of The Illegal for Conquering Lion Pictures. Hill is a professor of creative writing at the University of Guelph, in Ontario.

Reviews

[Anne Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I get any Canlit lovers TOO excited, I should mention straight away that this is a middle grade novel meant for kids aged 9-13, Lawrence Hill has not written another adult book yet. But for those who are fans of his, perhaps reading this book may scratch that itch for a little while. I was curious about it, and I find myself looking at more middle grade fiction now that my oldest is slowly entering into this stage of her reading, so I gave Beatrice and Croc Harry a try. I appreciated the depth of the plot and the not-so-hidden messaging around the evils of racism, but the focus on independence is what I really loved, so I’ll be holding onto this book for a few years so my kids can read and enjoy it too.

Plot Summary

Beatrice wakes up in a treehouse stocked with books, oatmeal ingredients and a comfortable bed. She can’t remember who she is or why she’s there, but she’s got everything she needs to lead a fairly comfortable life while she tries to figure it out. She realizes that she can hear animals talk, and befriends a crocodile, a fuzzy blue tarantula, a lemur who acts as both a dentist and beautician, and a rabbit who can’t pronounce the sound ‘r’. As she talks to her new friends and small bits of her memory return, we learn she is around 12 years old, a black girl, it’s the year 2090, and has to find a certain number of clues to make her way out of this forest to get back home. Beatrice is intelligent, and her favourite thing to do is read the dictionary in her treehouse, which also gives her clues as to what she should be doing next, in addition to improving her vocabulary. We briefly meet a Queen rabbit whose mind has been taken over by an evil giant, forcing her to lock up and torture speckled bunnies who are not ‘pure’ like the solid-coloured rabbits. Beatrice actively tries to fight against this giant who also attempts to enter her mind when she sleeps, while simultaneously trying to save the speckled rabbits from discrimination and find her way home.

My Thoughts

Kids who love language and word play will find much to enjoy in this book, as Beatrice is a true book worm whose only entertainment in the evenings is her bookshelf (and I can relate!). Everyone uses big elaborate words for fun, and Beatrice incorporates these into her conversations as she continues to learn them. The last 30 pages of the book includes a dictionary of both made-up and real words, with a playful note from the author warning people that the list of words may not interest everyone, but he won the argument with his editor and included it anyway.

The love of learning and access to education is a major theme; those who hate others are fueled by a jealousy of those who passed a certain intelligence test, allowing them to pursue higher education and live a better more comfortable life. When we learn of the speckled rabbits being denied an education like their solid-coloured counterparts, this racism of the forest is also reflected in the ‘real’ world that Beatrice is trying to find her way back to, where black people like her are a target for those denied a way to improve their own lives. The future that is depicted in this book is not encouraging – racism is still a problem, and the wealth gap has increased so widely that it appears as though a civil war has broken out.

The importance of representation in fiction can never be understated, and it’s just as important for my kids to read first person narrations through all different cultures and backgrounds as it is for myself, and my fellow adults. Beatrice gets along fairly well on her own in the forest, but her hair begins to give her trouble as it gets knotted, and she’s forced to ask for help. Croc Harry is baffled by her hair’s need for special attention, but this was a nice reminder to myself (and would likely be a learning moment for kids) that black hair needs proper care, and dismissing this need is a form of discrimination in itself. Of course Beatrice doesn’t communicate it this way, but her hurt feelings are a sign to any kind of reader that respecting our differences is an important skill that everyone should cultivate.

Some may be reading this review thinking this book is tackles too many complicated subjects for kids, but I don’t believe we are giving our youth enough credit. This certainly isn’t for early readers, but for kids in grades 4 to 8, these difficult parts of life are ones they are familiar with, and would likely welcome a more open discussion that’s prompted by a book like this.

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[Sasha Balazic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awesome! Creative ! Unpredictable- a little all over the place though

[Tshepiso · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Beatrice and Croc Harry was an odd book. A lot of its aims were admirable. As a former black little girl I appreciate that Lawrence Hill wrote a story that specifically celebrates black girlhood with strong messages about taking pride in your blackness. However, I found his approach to tackling the questions of bigotry lacking.

To unpack that we need to get into the tone issues I had with this story. For the most part Beatrice and Croc Harry is a silly animal adventure story. We follow Beatrice an 11 year old who finds herself in a magical rainforest with no memory of how she got there. In the forest of Argilla Beatrice makes friends with talking animals and goes of a series of wacky adventures trying to find her way back home. While as an adult I didn't get much from this particular brand of childish whimsy I could see what a child could get out of it.

Beatrice and Croc Harry is also a story about a white supremacist terrorists who spend the book attempting to murder Beatrice and her friends as he attempts to impose his bigoted views onto the creatures of the forest. I'm not saying books for kids can't tackle heavy topics head on, especially because kids experience racism bigotry and gun violence. But these heavy themes that mainly occupy the back half of the novel are so discordant with the wacky silliness of the rest of the story that it was jarring to read. Even worse absurdly silly situations were occasionally also present in scenes directly depicting scenes of intense bigotry that, to me undermined the seriousness of the bigotry being depicted.

Further, I found the way Hill addressed white supremacy and racism in the story lacking. I understand this story is for children and therefore has to be simplified. But I do find the messaging of this story, that bigotry is produced by bad people who believe bad things, is an inadequate explanation of the causes of racism, even for children. While Hill attempts to add drops of nuance, most of that is in the last third of the novel and he barely explores concepts like structural racism despite alluding to ways societies can produce harm. This left me feeling like the book viewed racism as simply caused by bigoted people which was a little simplistic, yes, even for kids.

In the end Beatrice and Croc Harry was alright. Kids will probably appreciate the wacky silliness more than my grown ass self and its great to see black girls kicking but I'm overall pretty meh on the book.

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reads like Lawrence Hill's spin on Roald Dahl. The concept is charming. Beatrice is a fun character. The transitions from fairy tale to reality were jarring and uneven. I'd love to talk to some middle schoolers about how this book worked for them.

[Kelsey Hlavaty (readingwithkelsey) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Beatrice and Croc Harry was such a fun read and a great debut into middle grade from Lawrence Hill. Beatrice is really a wonderful character to read from because she is so strong willed and firm in her intelligence and bravery. I also really loved the friendships she made with with both Croc Harry (a crocodile who learns to be a great friend) and Horace Harrison Junior the Third (a vibrant rabbit who is looking to learn and fit in). Their found family was absolutely adorable but also super funny in a way that can charm both middle grade readers and the adults in their lives. The novel is filled with discussion on said found families and finding solace within friendships, but it also takes the time to discuss themes of racism and oppression in a way that is understandable and thought provoking for the middle grade audience. The novel is also filled with word games and focusing on teaching its audience big words, which I thought was a really cute addition. I can see this being very fun and interesting for middle grade readers. My only complaint is that the worldbuilding is really confusing and can be a little convoluted, but otherwise this was fun!

[Wild Willie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and can't wait to meet the author in person. Check out my full review and interview with Lawrence on Wild Willie's Book Reviews youtube channel!

[Em Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a strange, lovely story. The official description -- an amnesiac girl in a treehouse, a talking crocodile -- had me entering the pages warily, unsure of what to expect. But Lawrence Hill is, obviously, a master writer, and BEATRICE AND CROC HARRY is unexpected in all the best ways.

Much of the plot is propelled by the mystery of Beatrice's situation, so I won't get too much into it. But I will say that underneath the playful exterior of talking animals, wordplay, and precocious girls, there is a deeper tale regarding racism, segregation, and violence. It's about finding bravery and finding your people. It's about moving onward. And it's about knowing which voices to let in, and which to keep out.

It certainly won't be a book for everyone. The plot occasionally felt glacial and repetitive, and while the wordplay was fun, it did sometimes feel ... well, borderline irritating. The worldbuilding was a little vague and left me with so many unanswered questions, I ended the book feeling slightly empty. I don't know what I'd expected.

I can see BEATRICE being a hit in classrooms, as it accessibly holds the door to many important conversations. While it's not one I'd necessarily revisit, I look forward to seeing what others think upon the book's release.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful modern fairy tale full of intelligence, humour and fun. There is just enough social justice embedded to peak a reader’s interest or prompt a classroom discussion without bogging down the story. This is a wonderful book for grades 3-6.

[Sarah Butland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book for me falls somewhere between Chronicles of Narnia, only with purple doors instead of a wardrobe, and Calvin and Hobbes, but completely different, too.

Lawrence Hill tackles many layers of humanity, personality and self reflection within this adventurous tale of a fictitious land filled with delightful and terrifying animals. Beatrice, named after his daughter, discovers herself in a strange world all alone, barely knowing even her name and cleverly works to navigate through her present, past and uncover her future with the help of a few unusual pals.

From bedtime stories to an amazing full length novel, this is a cross between Chronicles of Narnia and Calvin and Hobbes for me.

I loved this writing style from the get-go with the use of large, and sometimes perfectly concocted words, followed quickly by the explanation without it ever being awkward or slowing the story down. Hill has figured out a niche unlike many and I cannot wait to read more of his middle grade fiction!

Trust me when I say, you'll love all this entails.

[Gemington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I’m a huge fan of Lawrence Hill, I struggled a bit with this book. First, the pluses: it is playful. He has fun with words and it is very easy to get caught up in his exuberance for language. I loved the dictionary at the end. He made words meaningful, practical and tied to the context. Whimsy was real throughout.

Beatrice was also an admirable protagonist. She was independent and thoughtful in her actions. She was fierce and loyal. I can imagine looking up to her as a young reader.

What I struggled with was the plot and pacing. I spent a long time feeling confused about what the book was about. The journey narrative was late to start, but captivating once it started to unfurl.

This book prompts discussion and does important and challenging work to bring in discussions of racism, race relations, gun violence and many other tough topics through a supportive and slow approach. However, this approach got in the way of the pacing and sometimes felt like too many directions that weren’t fully developed.

[Lauren Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book club pick that I was initially confused about as it’s written for children. I was pleasantly surprised though and can see why it was chosen.

If I critiqued it as a book for adults I would say that the relationships in the book lack a bit of depth and several parts of the plot seem to jump around and were overly simplistic. However knowing the audience, I think it would be a fantastic book for 9-13 year olds. It approaches difficult subjects in an understandable and light way and the characters are fun and interesting.
There was enough of a mystery to the plot to keep me wondering about the ending and ultimately it made me smile.

[Mary French · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book. It's about a young girl who wakes up in Argilia with no relocation of how she got there. She befriends a crocodile. She is also searching for a way out of the forest. It takes you through a number of emotions and is a must read for any age. It is classified as a young reader book (9 - 12).

[Heather Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a tough read for me. I’ll admit I am not the target audience so it didn’t speak to me. I did enjoy the imagination of being able to talk with and live among the animals. Must have been an exciting time for Beatrice. Much here that will trigger questions and discussions by young readers.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an absolute pleasure to listen to this audio book read by the author!!

[Flavie Grisé-Falcon · Rating 4 out of 5]

lecture farfelue et légère 🥰

[Ana Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with 7 and 9 year old. it was their first introduction to a dystopian book and boy did this book not disappoint. When given the choice always choose compassion. this book so perfectly shows this throughout the book. The female lead character, Beatrice is absolutely incredible. We learned a lot in this book. We giggled and we cried too. Great Read!

[Sophia]

jk I didn’t finish this, but I’m also not planning to! whoops!

[Karine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Popsugar Reading Challenge 2022: A Book Published in 2022. I loved all the lessons shared and taught in this book. I also enjoyed how it ended and was not expecting it completely. I rated it 3⭐️ because I though the book was longer than it needed
To be and some parts dragged on but other than that good book 👍🏻

[Indigo bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book for kids (target audience is probably up to 12), so it is in that style. But I really appreciated how intellectual the kids and adults were in this book, and I appreciated how strong of a character Beatrice is (even successfully resisting mind control!).

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im in school and I Read it for a book report and it totally surprised me. Great book

[Blaire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have some mixed feelings about this book.
I think it provides a really powerful narrative on racism and class divisions. The discussion was very powerful. It is done in a really great way that kids will understand.
For a middle school novel, it has a fairly big vocabulary. I think it will lead to some frustration just because the context is hard to decipher. There is the dictionary in the back but it is hard to say if it will be found by kids while they are reading it.

As an almost teacher, I see this book being a really great novel study. Because then kids are given context and they can learn about the features of the book like the dictionary. It can also help start discussions with students. But I see it being a struggle for many kids to just pick the book up and read it as a free reading book.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars, with perhaps another .5 for sheer creativity.
I did enjoy this, but there are some problems with pacing and how some information is explicitly spelled out in its divulsion versus glossed over. Beatrice is a wonderful protagonist and I love the world that was created! I just feel like there was so much potential to explore even more. Frankly I would not mind if this were a series or a shared universe of sorts where different stories that all take place in the forest of Argilia could be told and thus an array of social issues explored. Along the same vein, the ending was satisfactory, but there is so much of the world and its backstory and rules that I wish had either been added throughout or explained towards the end. The pedagogical aspect was a bit on the nose for me as well, with very obvious vocabulary-plugging and directly-stated lessons and morals to be learned. However, the book is clearly geared towards kids and meant to be very educational in nature, with the nice inclusion of a related dictionary from the author at the end of the story. Even with kids' book though I feel like I appreciate it more when didacticism is woven in under the surface as opposed to just constantly having the characters literally define words they don't know in dialogue, e.g. Nevertheless, I feel that this is a perfect middle-grade teaching book for racism, injustice, and social conflict and I would definitely recommend it because of its ability to strike a balance between intriguing fantasy that should keep kids interested and real world discussions.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beatrice and Croc Harry was a very fun, impacting, and overall exciting book. I haven't read any other Lawerence Hill books, but I think this was a great introduction to his versatility, knowing he wrote The Book of Negroes, and now a middle school-directed book such as Beatrice and Croc Harry.

Beatrice and Croc Harry follows a young girl named Beatrice, who wakes up in an unknown forest with no memories of how she got there, or of her life before waking up. The book is about her journey in self-discovery, self-identity, and figuring out how to leave the forest. She has many experiences with different talking animals and other non-human beings, which give her clues about who she is, where she came from, why she's here, and how to get out.

I think a lot of what makes this book so impactful is how it discusses racism, and Beatrice’s path to self-love and understanding, as she is a Black girl. These topics are written so that kids and early teens are able to understand why they are negatively affecting Beatrice, even seeing relatability in Beatrice's experiences and the experiences of other Black children in real life.

Overall, Beatrice and Croc Harry is a book I would definitely recommend, as well as a great book to read in the classroom.

[Sue Slade · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son and I won a signed copy of Lawrence Hill’s debut middle-grade novel Beatrice and Croc Harry from Wild Willie Book Reviews on YouTube. We were quite excited to receive the parcel in our mailbox with several tasty and creative promotional items included.

I must say the cover of the book is very inviting and accurately illustrates the story, with a picture of Beatrice (with 3 syllables) and Horace Harrison Junior the Third in a tree house with King Croc Harry beneath. My son and I frequently looked back at the cover during the story to discuss what was happening and what we thought would happen next.

My son really enjoyed listening to me read this sometimes challenging to read-aloud book with its many unfamiliar and sometimes concocted new words. I just know that I botched some of them and when my son listens to Lawrence Hill speak about his novel tomorrow at the Read By the Sea Festival and hears the correct pronunciation…well I did my phonetic best.

The first question my son wants to ask Lawrence Hill; When does the sequel come out?

[Jason Waddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beatrice and Croc Harry is a wonderful read. This is Lawrence Hill's first "children's book," and I hope there will be more. Keep in mind that books intended for "children" often end up being loved both by young and older readers. Think of books such as The Hobbit, Sounder, or Harry Potter Etc,. Beatrice and Croc Harry is accessible to multifarious age levels–there are no age restrictions when it comes to adventure! This novel is a lens into identity, self-discovery, friendship, humor, and more. It also speaks to the restrictions and freedoms children encounter during maturation (Being a kid is hard work). The important take-home message is that this was a book I connected with and you (The reader) will too. Like Lawrence's other books, this book contains beautiful sentences and diction that breath like a fine wine. Enjoy!

[Red Cedar Book Award · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beatrice has woken in a strange land without memories in a treehouse magically stocked with supplies and a set of helpful books. Her curiosity and compassion lead her to explore the land and meet its talking animal inhabitants. Among these is Croc Harry who seems equally eager to eat her and converse with her. He shares her love of complicated vocabulary yet can she trust him not to give in to his predatory instincts? Another more frightening enemy is a man who comes into her in her dreams, threatening to take over her mind. Croc Harry, the rabbit Horace Harrison Junior the Third and Fuzzy the blue spider are just some of the fascinating animals she meets. With her cleverness and compassion, Beatrice learns to navigate the strange rules of this world and follow clues that will lead her to recover her past.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic middle grade fantasy debut for Lawrence Hill!! I loved that he narrates the book and that the main character is named after his daughter. This was full of found family, animal friendships, LOTS of vocabulary expanding words and important discussions about identity and racism. Highly recommended for fans of The Misewa Saga series by David Alexander Robertson or Amari and the night brothers series by BB Alston. Great on audio and I would definitely choose that format. There is also a useful vocabulary guide included at the end of the book to help children learn some of the new words they are undoubtedly going to encounter while reading the book. I really hope there will be more stories featuring Beatrice!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl wakes up and finds herself in a treehouse in a jungle. So begins the adventures of Beatrice. She encounters a variety of fascinating animal creatures along the way. Many of them become her friends and aid Beatrice in her quest to go home. Like Alice and Dorothy, Beatrice learns many valuable life lessons along the way about what and who really matters in life. I loved that this story featured a courageous black girl who is sassy, funny, and grows more confident in her abilities. A great adventure story with a great message. This book should be included in the OLA's Festival of Trees!

4 out of 5 stars
Available now everywhere.

[Kay S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt very much like several books jammed into one. One book about a girl who lives in the forest and can talk to animals. Another about a girl left in the forest trying to find her way home. And another about a weird racist cult run by a giant hunting a twelve-year-old. I found the plot jumpy and several minor subplots could have been cut to make this a tighter, more cohesive story. It reminded me very much of SoUE - playful wordiness, self-awareness of character who is firm in their beliefs, mildly depressing... As much as I wanted to enjoy it, it definitely felt like an adult fiction author's first foray into middle-grade fiction.

[Jen Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I read this book to my 9yr old and she liked it. However, I don’t think she would have liked to read it on her own as the vocabulary is definitely challenging. I would describe the overall book as “weird”, talking animals, a magical land, teleportation, a giant trying to get into Beatrice’s mind, and racism all mixed together. There’s a lot of conversations and not a lot of action so it’s a bit of a slog. As an adult, I would say it was decent, but it could have been better, though I can’t really put my finger on what I would want more of. The ending left a lot to be desired.