The House on East 88th Street

By Bernard Waber

The first book about Lyle the crocodile! Experience the beloved classic and inspiration for the major motion picture.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile splashes into the lives of the Primm family and straight into readers' hearts in this picture book that has delighted readers for generations.

As the Primms quickly discover, once you've fallen for a crocodile like Lyle, you simply can't live without him!

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9780547947051

Bernard Waber

Bernard Waber is the award-winning author and illustrator of many children's books including the seven popular titles in the Lyle the Crocodile series.

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Reviews for The House on East 88th Street

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I dunno. I have always liked saying "Lyle Lyle the Crocodile," apropos of nothing. Now I've finally read the book, and my inner curmudgeon isn't letting my inner child come out to play and enjoy this story. Maybe I'll have to try again. I will see if I can find another in the series.

[blbooks-14314 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First sentence: This is the house. The house on East 88th Street. It is empty now, but it won't be for long. Strange sounds come from the house. Can you hear them? Listen: Swish, swash, splash, swoosh...

Premise/plot: The Primm family is moving into the house on East 88th Street. [Mr. and Mrs. Primm and their son, Joshua]. What should they discover in their house???? Lyle, Lyle crocodile! Though the family is at first a bit shocked and confused, it's soon the new normal. OF COURSE the crocodile belongs there! Of course, he's just going to fit right in--not only with them as a family, but with the whole neighborhood, the city. 

This is the origin story of Lyle, Lyle Crocodile. We meet Hector P. Valenti who seems to come and go in Lyle's life. In this first story, after making great friends with the Primm family, he is rushed away by Valenti...but the life of fame is not agreeable....not really. 

My thoughts: I recently watched the film Lyle, Lyle Crocodile. I had not--to my recollection--read any of the Lyle books growing up. [Though it's entirely possible that I had them read to me at a young age--from the library--and have just forgotten.] I would say the movie blends the plot of House on East 88th Street and Lyle, Lyle Crocodile. It also connects the dots and fills in the blank. The picture books do not necessarily start at the beginning of Lyle's story. It begins with the Primm family moving in. The movie is all Lyle's story. 

I enjoyed this one very much. I especially loved the art.

[ehayne1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book because it has a cute story and great morals. Also, the illustrations catch your eye. There are not many colors, and sometimes the pictures are not even fully colored. The pictures are crudely drawn, almost as though a child drew them, but the emotions on the faces of the Primm family and also of Lyle bring the reader to feel the same emotions, whether they be scared at finding a crocodile, sadness at Lyle leaving, or happiness when Lyle returns. This book also teaches great morals through the main idea. I think the main idea is that a person should never put fame above the needs or wants of others. This is what Signor Valenti did, but he realized that by taking Lyle away from the Primms, Signor Valenti was taking away Lyle's happiness. Also, at the beginning of the book, there is a great message about not judging someone, or an animal, by how they look. If the Primm's had continued to judge Lyle for being a crocodile, they would not have gotten to enjoy him as a friend.