Beside the Sea (Melrose and Croc)
PreSchool-Grade 2&mdash;Melrose the dog and his crocodile buddy are inseparable. InBeside the Sea, Croc is in a grouchy mood and his friend tries to cheer him up with a guessing game that leads them to the beach. Melrose is down in the dumps inFind a Smile,and this time Croc lifts his spirits by taking him to the countryside. After a day of hopping over streams and playing in the flowers, all worries are forgotten. InFriends for Life,the two reflect upon each other's best (and worst) qualities and conclude, "I like us just the way we are." When they set off on a shopping trip inGo to Town, they vow to stick together, but Croc gets lost and then found at the mall. Clark's winsome watercolor illustrations show the pals in a variety of settings, from bustling British streetscapes to the seaside. The simple, elegant texts gently relate slice-of-life adventures.&mdash;Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, CanadaCopyright &copy; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.