Eat Your Rocks, Croc!: Dr. Glider's Advice for Troubled Animals

In Eat Your Rocks, Croc!, the doctor is in and making house calls. Dr. Glider, a palm-sized possum with pointy ears and a long tail, dispenses sound advice with flair. Sugar gliders are nocturnal mammals, but this problem-solving marsupial is in such demand she is booked solid day and night and travels the world to attend to animals (and even plants) in need.

Each double page spread showcases a different patient and that patient’s particular woe. Speech bubbles relay the pithy and pun-filled conversations. Talia Tawny Owl, from Stockholm, Sweden, explains that she suffers from chronic headaches and can’t stay awake for her morning yoga classes with the early birds. Dr. Glider sagely assesses the situation and points out that owls are nocturnal and recommends some “late-night stargazing instead”. Sidebars dole out additional, related science facts, like how nocturnal animals see in the dark.

Some of the patients have interpersonal or familial concerns, such as that of Will De Beest, a young wildebeest from Maasai Mara, Kenya. His complaint is that his mother expects him to constantly run across the plains. He doesn’t think this is fair because he sees his cheetah peers lounging around their den all day, and he wishes his mother would ease up on her demands. The no-nonsense doc agrees with Will’s mother, pointing out the savanna is full of hungry animals. Dr. Glider sets the young wildebeest straight: “You want to eat breakfast, not BE breakfast, right? Get movin’.”

Dr. G wears many hats, including a Sherlock Holmes deerstalker cap that she dons while attending to Astrid Aphid from Leuven, Belgium. Astrid is desperately seeking her missing brother and fears he has been kidnapped. Confirming Astrid’s suspicions, the doctor offers these scientifically-based words of wisdom: “But don’t worry, ants treat their pets very well.” Sidebars explain the concept of animal symbiosis.

Other animals in the treatment queue include a crocodile with a stomach ache, a nurse shark who wants the fish stuck to his belly removed, and an overworked meerkat. The episodic interventions are not only captivating, they are also packed with information and introduce terminology like gastroliths (“small stones swallowed by birds, reptiles or fish to aid digestion”), parasite (“an organism that lives on or in another organism (called a host), getting its food at the expense of the host”), and matriarchy (“a type of community where females of the species are in charge”). A glossary of “Words to the Rescue” is included at the end.

Jess Keating, award-winning author, illustrator and zoologist, expertly blends humour with animal know-how. The smart and witty banter is in fine form throughout. Dr. Glider is a bit like Dr. Dolittle, Dr. Benjamin Spock and Ann Landers all rolled into one quirky and charming character.

The patients’ colourful personalities shine through in Pete Oswald’s digital cartoon illustrations. Hilarious details abound, such as the “Acute Fish” bib with a picture of an acute angle around the neck of the ravenous Al Anglerfish; the “Lost Aphid” poster (“small, green and never listens”) taped to a tree trunk; and the deadly look of love between two praying mantises. A labelled snapshot gallery of all 14 of Dr. Glider’s patients is included at the end.

Eat Your Rocks, Croc! provides a healthy dose of laughs and information. Follow this prescription for hours of fun: Read. Repeat.