Lovable Lyle

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Gentle story with a point to make.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that a valuable lesson is presented here about dealing with prejudice.


What's the story?

Sure, Lyle Crocodile lives with humans in the city. But when he begins to get hate mail, despite a lovable and benign nature, he is dumbstruck. Mrs. Primm finds the culprit, but prejudice is harder to overcome. This is a gentle junior-allegory with a point to make.

 


Is it any good?

 

A valuable lesson is presented here about the way to deal with prejudice, however irrational, especially in adults. Clearly, Lyle is the most lovable crocodile in the world, as any kid will tell you. And in this story, perplexed by the hate mail, he tries even harder to be sweet. Most interesting, it becomes clear that the problem lies with a mother who doesn't want her daughter to play with crocodiles, and says that "nice neighborhoods" don't allow them.

Bernard Waber keeps these complex issues child-friendly, and opens the discussion up for parents of kids who get it, but who aren't yet ready for more overt books about prejudice. Confusing the issue, though, is the fact that it is perfectly reasonable for a good mother to prevent her child from playing with a crocodile. Also, Waber again (as in Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile) resorts to the plot device of a melodramatic rescue to resolve the problem -- not a practical example to follow.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about Mrs. Hipple's worries about Lyle. How can she not like him if she doesn't know him? Why does Clover put mean notes under his door? Who taught her not to like Lyle? What should you do -- or not do -- if you think you don't like someone (or if you think someone doesn't like you)?


This review was written by Kevin McCaffrey

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This review was written by Kevin McCaffrey
Author:Bernard Waber
Illustrator:Bernard Waber
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Picture Book
Publisher:Houghton Mifflin Children's Books
Publication date:April 27, 1977
Number of pages:48
Paperback price:$6.95
Publisher's recommended age(s):4 - 7

This review was written by Kevin McCaffrey
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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