Come And Find Me!

When Hummingbird asks Croc to play a game, the crocodile’s reaction is a little condescending: 'No, you’re far too teeny-tiny.' When Croc finally comes round and they play hide-and-seek together, Hummingbird’s size is its strength: it’s not easy for the crocodile to find the little bird in the dense jungle. Croc asks various animals for help, including a rabbit, a lion and a raccoon. Each time, the recurring question ‘Hey, have you seen Hummingbird?’ is accompanied by a different, extremely brief description, so nobody can help. At the end of the story the curious jungle dwellers all wonder who this Hummingbird might be. Croc can only find Hummingbird once he acknowledges that the bird is his friend.

Search and find books come in all shapes and sizes, but Louis-Lucas and Aertssen manage to give the genre a contemporary look. The inventive illustrations reflect the suspenseful text, while adding stimulating and funny surprises. Unlike Croc, attentive children should be able to locate the charming Hummingbird after some searching.