Is Croc best at something? Pal Turtle certainly thinks so.Croc asks Turtle if Turtle would like to see Croc lift a heavy rock; Turtle says sure. It's not easy, but Croc lifts it and claims the title of strongest. Turtle claps. Along comes Elephant, who tries lifting the rock…and tosses it skyward. Croc then asks Turtle if Turtle would like to see Croc jump over the rock. Turtle is impressed when Croc performs the task…then along comes Rabbit, who demonstrates that Croc's not the best jumper either. Turns out Croc's not as fast as Cheetah, either. Croc's sad not to be the best at anything. Turtle points out that Croc is better than Turtle at all of the feats attempted. Neither of them is the best…until they realize they are both the best at being best friends. Wohnoutka's good-natured tale of competition concludes with a heartwarming denouement and a funny finish, when the buddies bump into a friendly shark after deciding Turtle's the best swimmer and Croc has the most teeth. Between its kid-friendly treatment and its sunny, cartoon characters, this is a great addition to storytime collections as well as good bibliotherapy for the overly competitive. The text is composed entirely of dialogue and sound effects, and no character has a specified gender.These reptiles with a rockin' relationship will win fans. (Picture book. 2-7)

Cheered on by his supportive friend Turtle, Croc attempts to show he is the best at something, but passersby undermine his feats of strength, hopping, and speed. With a -fling!- elephant proves himself better at lifting heavy boulders; with a -wheeeeee!- rabbit easily jumps higher; and with a -zoooooooooom!- cheetah easily outruns the friendly crocodile. -I-m not the best at anything!- a defeated Croc sniffles. Turtle reassures Croc--You are stronger than me. You can jump higher than me. And you can run way faster than me!--before realizing that he isn-t the best at anything either. Fortunately, the pair discover that they excel at the same task: being best friends. Characterized by gentle colors and uncluttered pages, gouache paintings by Wohnoutka (Moo!) capture an innocent and uncomplicated friendship between two likable best buds. Ages 3-6. (Feb.)

PreS-Gr 1 -Croc wants to show his pal Turtle how he's the best at picking up a heavy rock, but Elephant comes along and is stronger. How about jumping over that rock? Nope, Rabbit can jump higher. Running? Surely he is the fastest runner. Yes, until Cheetah zooms past him. A disheartened Croc despairs at not being the best at anything, until Turtle reminds him that he can beat him in all those things, leaving Turtle wondering if he's the best at anything. Together they realize that they are the best at being each other's friend. Besides, Croc reminds Turtle, you are the best swimmer, and Turtle reminds Croc he has the most teeth (until Shark shows up). Wohnoutka's acryla gouache illustrations work effortlessly with the text for a fun story with plenty of character. There is a good use of white space, brilliant facial expressions, humorous antics and adorable critters. In a clever and understated bit of detail, the text is color coded; each animal has its own color. Croc and Turtle's colors match the cover art. VERDICT A humorous story about friendship and what being the best at something really means.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH