Daron Parton – illustratör

A family of birds stumble across an egg in the bush and take it home with them. The family are thrilled when a little crocodile hatches from the egg, but the other animals are a little confused. ''Why do you keep him?'' they ask. ''Is it because he''s helpful?'' ''He is helpful,'' replies the family, ''but that''s not why we keep him.'' As Croccy gets bigger, the bush animals become more confused. ''Is it because he''s beautiful? Is it because he''s fun? Is it because he makes a great coat rack? Is that it? Is that why you keep him?''Croccy is beautiful, and he is fun, and he does make a great coat rack. But that''s not why the family keep him. They keep Croccy because he belongs with them. And that''s that.A Crocodile in the Family is a beautiful picture book with a whole lot of heart about family in all its shapes and sizes. It''s the perfect bedtime read for kids aged 3+.''a sweet message about belonging and acceptance, with plenty of quirky details that little kids will love'' West Australian

Slip on your overalls, pop on your hard hat and jump in the digger - let''s build a house!First the floor, and then the walls,Then the roof. Let''s build it tall.You and me - we''ll build it all!Up, up, up.A step-by-step look at how a house is constructed from digging the foundations and laying the bricks through to fitting the drains and painting the walls. Let''s Build a House is a high-energy, gorgeously illustrated picture book written by a real-life engineer.

Slip on your overalls, pop on your hardhat and jump in the digger - let''s build a backyard!We dig, we build, we plant, we sow.We make a place to play and grow.You and me - one, two, three ... GO!Work! Work! Work!A fun look at creating a backyard from scratch; from moving the mud and building the fence through to planting a vegie garden and adding in the compost (Poo! Poo! Poo!). Let''s Build a Backyard is a high-energy, brightly illustrated picture book by a real-life engineer, and is the perfect companion to Let''s Build a House.''Children from two or three years up will absolutely love getting into it and chanting along. It''s fun to go on the jolly journey from barren block to a garden you''d like to visit, and it seems like the sort of book children will want to read over again, for its rhythms, its logical and simple plot progression, and, of course, the page about spreading manure - "poo poo poo"'' BOOKS+PUBLISHING''The perfect way for adults to introduce big topics like sustainability, environmental care and self-sufficiency to their young children . . . A high-energy, brightly illustrated picture book that will excite young readers and inspire a love for the outdoors'' TOOWOOMBA CHRONICLE

It''s Christmas Eve, and sleepy Echidna still doesn''t have a present for her friend Roo. Maybe she could make something! But Christmas craft doesn''t always go quite to plan ...''An extremely cute story about a gang of pals getting caught up in the pre-season rush without losing their Christmas spirit'' THE AGE''Adorable'' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN''S WEEKLY

The cockerel crowed across Pettington Zoo.The animals woke with a big job to do. ''The Harry is coming! Today is the day!We have to get ready! There''s no time to play!''It''s Harry''s birthday and the all the animals at Pettington Zoo are planning a big surprise. It''s time to get ready to party! Written by comedian Sam Smith and illustrated by Daron Parton, this is a heartwarming and hilarious book so full of laughs that you may just be crying by the end.

Join Dr Charlie as he faces his biggest fear ... a child in his dental chair. Charlie hated children, their howls, their shouts, their screams.Their burps and farts and coughs and snots would haunt him in his dreams.The sharpness of their gnashers was enough to make you quit.Just get a finger near their teeth and CHOMP! You would get bit!Will Dr Charlie get over his fear? This brilliant picture book will leave readers ready to help their dentist become less fearful of children and teach them how to care for their teeth between visits. From dentist/comedian Sam Smith and illustrator Daron Parton comes the next must-have book for your collection.