Open Very Carefully

From the very first pages of Open Very Carefully, it's clear that this is a picture book with a difference. The traditional story of Hans Christian Andersen's 'Ugly Ducking' is disrupted by the appearence of a large green and yellow tail in the corner of the page. Soon it becomes clear that a large and dangerous crocodile has invaded the book, where he causes chaos by gobbling up letters, words and even whole sentences. Luckily the Ugly Duckling is on hand and has a few ideas of how to deal with the invader.

Children will love the anarchic approach to storytelling offered by this picture book. Playful and full of fun, it encourages readers to pick up the book, rock it, shake it and even scribble on its pages! The final spread, complete with a ragged hole through which the crocodile makes his getaway, will leave young readers guessing and wondering what might happen next. The beautifully-designed pages and high production values make this surprising story extra-special.