Winston & George

PreS-Gr 1—Practical jokers, beware! Winston, a patient crocodile, and his flighty friend, a crocodile bird named George, have been companions for a long time. Their symbiotic relationship allows them to work together to find fish and then share the meal. George enjoys playing practical jokes on Winston and his crocodile friends, getting a kick out of fooling the larger animals. The other crocodiles, fed up with George, implore Winston to just eat him and be done with it. But Winston enjoys spending time with his playful pal, so he rejects the suggestion, and the two continue as a team. One day, George's joke goes too far, putting his friend in real danger. Thinking the crocodile bird is up to his old tricks, the other river animals ignore his pleas for help. In order to save Winston, George must offer to make the ultimate sacrifice. Rich, saturated pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations in brilliant blues, lush greens, and deep browns and a bright orange George are a pleasure to peruse. With Aesop's "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" theme, this swampy story, written, illustrated, stored away, and forgotten for 50 years, offers a moral that is true and powerful: no one will believe a liar, even when he's telling the truth.—Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI