A sudden storm brings danger to Melrose and Croc on their idyllic vacation. Melrose, a mustard-yellow dog, sits behind the wheel of a bright red roadster as he and pal Croc(odile) pull up to the entrance of a French seaside villa. Melrose plans a birthday full of surprises for his best friend, beginning with a freshly caught fish. But once he’s out in a rented rowboat, the sky turns black and a heavy rain begins. While Croc prepares a beautiful table for their dinner, Melrose is caught up in a dangerous storm. Intuition clues Croc into the danger; he and a boatload of lifeguards brave the choppy waters and effect a daring rescue, leading to Croc’s concluding declaration that this was his most exciting birthday ever. With her heroes on two legs, Chichester Clark’s whimsy borders on camp. Both the text and the soft-focus illustrations are substantial, however, and her message is unequivocally heartwarming. (Picture book. 5-8)
