When Lyle the Crocodile visits Mr. Primm's advertising office, he has tons of fun and makes lots of friends. He also gets Mr. Primm fired. However, Lyle manages to save Mr. Primm's career when he rescues the boss, Mr. Bigg, from the local haunted house."Crocodile fans rejoice! Lyle is back and ready to take on the work world. Totally satisfying."--School Library Journal, starred review

Reviews

The much-loved crocodile of Manhattan engages in a quintessential venture: visiting a grown-up (in Lyle's case, Mr. Primm) at work (an advertising agency). Affable Lyle has a grand time delivering memos, working the copy machine, sitting in on ``a very important meeting'' and, most of all, playing with the children in the day-care center. But when the boss, Mr. Bigg, sees Lyle as a potential product promoter and Mr. Primm balks (``Lyle will never say, `Yum, Yum, Yummy Yum, Yum,' nor will his picture be on a cereal box''), both Mr. Primm and Lyle are shown the door. When Halloween rolls around, Lyle heroically rescues Mr. Bigg from a mishap in the ``haunted house'' Bigg is renovating, and in due course Mr. Primm is reinstated in his job--as long as Lyle promises to pay frequent visits to the office. Lyle has aged exceptionally well since his first appearance ( The House on East 88th Street ) some 30 years ago: he is as winsome as ever, and this new tale combines the charm of the first, somewhat quaint stories with a contemporary freshness. The art is, if anything, brighter than that in the previous books. An enticing reappearance on all scores. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 2-Crocodile fans rejoice! Lyle is back and ready to take on the work world. When he visits Mr. Primm at his advertising office, he is an instant success. He sharpens pencils, delivers memos, and makes many friends. After listening to him munch his way through a box of Krispie Krunchie Krackles, Mr. Bigg, the big boss attempts to recruit Lyle as a spokesreptile for the cereal. Mr. Primm refuses to allow his friend to pose for the ad and is fired. On Halloween night, while answering a desperate cry for help coming from an abandoned house, the family discovers Mr. Bigg hanging from a ceiling fixture. Lyle picks up the ladder and helps their new neighbor climb down. The happy ending is complete when Mr. Primm is invited to return to the agency. This is another appealing installment in the adventures of lovable Lyle. Contemporary touches, such as a pair of working moms (Mrs. Primm and Lyle's mother) and a company day-care center, bring this classic crocodile into the '90s. Although the plot unfolds a little bit like a sitcom, the text reads smoothly and builds to a neat conclusion. Waber's trademark watercolor and crayon illustrations are filled with warmth and humor. Lyle's always expressive face shines with pride while showing baby pictures of the youngest Primm, clouds with worry while listening to pleas for help, and smiles with contentment when everything turns out right. Totally satisfying.-Joy Fleishhacker, New York Public Library

"Crocodile fans rejoice! Lyle is back and ready to take on the work world. Totally satisfying." School Library Journal, Starred