MAC AND CROC

An introvert and an extrovert pair up to search for an aquatic legend.

As rain gives way to a sunny day, an adventurous, pale-skinned child named Mac visits bookish buddy Croc, an anthropomorphic crocodile. They both possess active imaginations, except Mac imagines bold adventures of treasure and rescue while Croc imagines danger and predators. Mac convinces Croc to embark on a voyage across the sea to find a lost city, which leads to underwater adventures such as escaping a bloodthirsty shark and helping a tan-skinned mermaid in need. A growing rift over Croc’s discomfort and skepticism toward the journey does eventually heal with renewed appreciation for each other’s friendship. Proof these friends truly influence each other: By journey’s end, Croc looks forward to another adventure while Mac wants to wind down with a book. Gigot’s artwork makes intuitive use of panels, increasing their count to show exchanges of dialog or moves in a chess match, while letting big spreads breathe to emphasize the big comforts and hazards of the pair’s exploits. This is the sort of story where readers can comfortably set aside questions of how characters whistle or converse underwater; a day’s fun on the waves is all the reason needed to suspend disbelief.

A healthy dose of adventure among friends with room to appreciate quiet comforts, too.