Croc-o-smiles! Lyle Walks the Dogs by Bernard Waber

LYLE THE CROCODILE HAS A JOB.

A BRAND-NEW JOB.

LYLE'S JOB IS WALKING DOGS.

IT IS A VERY GOOD JOB FOR LYLE BECAUSE LYLE LOVES DOGS.

AND HE LOVES TO WALK.

Lyle the Crocodile is back, and when he strolls out the door of the house on East 88th Street, he has a big crocodile smile on his face, on his way to pick up his first charge--a dog named Frisky. Frisky is, well, frisky, and Lyle has to shift out of his usual measured steps and into skipping gear. But that's no problem. Lyle loves skipping.

But over the next nine days, Lyle adds a new dog's leash each day to his capable hands, and each dog brings his or her own challenge. Morris is even friskier, but Pokey, on the other hand, is always lagging behind. Rosie is big and loves to stop and greet every bird, bug, or child along the street. Snappy, on the other hand, is a yappy, snappish mutt, and Tulip is so shy she hides under the couch when it's time for a walk. Scrappy is quirky, dashing ahead and then sitting down and refusing to continue their stately progress down the sidewalks.

And then, on day ten, Lyle adds Sniffy to his job list. Sniffy has a nose for trouble, and when he startles a squirrel, all ten dogs--with poor Lyle in tow--are off to the Squirreltown races. Lyle hangs on gallantly until the squirrel makes his escape.

ARE ALL OF THE DOGS HERE?

LET'S COUNT THEM AND SEE.

THEY ARE ALL HERE. SAFE, WELL--AND THIRSTY.

GOOD DOGS!

The return of Bernard Waber's Lyle the Crocodile is a welcome treat. Waber's droll and unflappable hero, one who has delighted generations of children since his debut in 1975 in The House on East 88th Street, last seen in Lyle at Christmas (Lyle the Crocodile) (Houghton Mifflin, 2003), is back in his beloved cityscape in Waber's forthcoming Lyle, Lyle Crocodile: Lyle Walks the Dogs (Houghton Mifflin, May, 2010). In his latest, a 1-10 counting book, great for counting tots or beginning readers, children gets to count Lyle's growing pack of pooches, each one with his own quirky personality. And Lyle, of course, as always is up to his duties, although, on the last page, Waber depicts that competent crocodile, smile intact, gladly resting in his welcome easy chair--with a quiet CAT on his lap.

GOOD JOB, LYLE!