View source for What's That Noise Mr Croc? by Jo Lodge

{{infobox1 
|title= What's That Noise Mr Croc?
|author= Jo Lodge
|reviewer= Kerry King
|genre=For Sharing 
|summary= Join Mr Croc as he makes all sorts of noises but be careful when you hear those snappy teeth! Snip, snap! With fantastic tabs and pops. 
|rating=5 
|buy= Yes
|borrow= Yes
|pages=12 
|publisher= Hodder Children's Books
|date= August 2008
|isbn=978-0340960011  
|cover=0340960019
|aznuk=0340960019
|aznus=0340960019
}}

Jo Lodge was nominated for the Sainsbury's Baby Book Award in October 2001 for the Baby's Very First Book series. She has had huge success with these and many other board books such as ''Cosy Cuddler'' books (Touch & Feel), ''Patch'' stories, the ''Busy'' books and a huge variety of ''Animal'' pop-up books.  Jo Lodge knows exactly what babies want from their books.

''What's That Noise, Mr. Croc?'' is a stunningly colourful and joyfully interactive book with tabs, lift-up flaps and pop-ups that captivated my daughter from the beginning.

''What's that noise, Mr. Croc?''<br>
''It's me – banging the pots and pans!'' 

My daughter is ten months old and at the stage where she definitely wants to be in charge of the page turning.  Her little (but powerful) hands are a tiny bit too uncoordinated to have mastered the tabs (without trying to pull them out of their orbits!) but she has '''loved''' lifting up the flaps (which are, for the most part, sensibly anchored into the binding) to see what Mr. Croc is doing underneath and the magnificent 3D pop-up - and out - Croc on the last page made her shriek with pleasure.  

The writing is well spaced and sized and ideally positioned so as to remain visible to a child interested only in playing with the interactive parts of the page and thereby attracting their attention to the story whilst at the same time managing to not interfere with the pictures - somehow they remain separate but together, which I thought was a very clever trick.  

''What's That Noise, Mr. Croc?'' is certainly one for your children's bookshelves for the age group of six months and upwards.  My daughter has been engaged by lively and colourful books such as this from an early age and the vivid illustrations do not disappoint.  The story is sure to pique the curiosity of any child and as such, I heartily recommend Mr. Croc's latest adventure to you.

[[Peepo Paw Prints by Smriti Prasadam and Melanie Mitchell]] is an enchanting little book. [[Journey to the Moon by Lucio and Meera Santoro]] is probably more suitable for slightly older children but has some really beautifully put together pop-ups - something that makes my little one squeal with glee.  Otherwise, you may like to take a look at [[Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell]] as mentioned above, as the lift-up flaps are simply the most delightful fun and it will likely be the most well-thumbed book in your child's collection.

Lastly, The Bookbag would like to extend thanks to the boys and girls at Hodder Children's Books for sending this copy to us for review.

{{toptentext|list=Top Ten Picture Books of 2008}}

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