A crocodile, a baby, and the royalty that follows. Carlyle The Crocodile Who Lived On The River Nile by Israel Campbell takes us into a world of adventure as told from the perspective of an animal.
Mapping Out The Narrative
Carlyle is enjoying his day on the river Nile when he sees a basket. The crocodile believes the container is filled with food and plans to eat the contents for dinner.
Carlyle is ready to pounce when, suddenly, a woman comes out. She discovers the basket, looks inside, and finds a baby. The woman decides to take the child in her care and the story of Moses begins.
The Story From An Animal’s Perspective
We’ve heard the story of Moses before and from various perspectives. Some of us have experienced the story from the scope of Moses as a child living in the palace of Pharoah. Others have learned about the leader’s life as a Prince of Egypt. Very few of us, however, have learned about Moses through the eyes of one of the animals living near the Nile.
Enter, Carlyle The Crocodile Who Lived On The River Nile.
Perhaps, the most unique aspect of this book is the main character. In the story, Moses is not the center of attention. Carlyle, the crocodile, is the star and carries the responsibility well.
We don’t know much about Moses beyond him being the baby in the basket in this tale. Israel takes great care to keep our attention on Carlyle throughout the story. He never uses the crocodile as a prop to tell the story of baby Moses, which is greatly appreciated.
Spreading The Message Without Being Overly Religious
By focusing on a crocodile, Israel does something that other Christian children’s books do not. He broadens the storyline so readers who do not follow the faith can have something to enjoy. This approach to Bible storytelling provides meaningful narratives that are not overly religious.
YAY or NAY?
Carlyle The Crocodile Who Lived On The River Nile by Israel Campbell is a definite YAY! This book is a great story about sacrifice and how God’s plans are calculated and always perfect. Story times will never be the same!