The Greedy Python

by Richard Buckley, Eric Carle (Illustrator)

In this humorous tale about manners, respect, and friendship, a greedy python eats every creature he comes across in the jungle. From a tiny mouse to an enormous elephant, the eaten animals eventually befriend one another in the belly of the snake where they team up and kick the inside of the python until he spits them out. Rather than learning his lesson, the python sticks to his greedy ways. When he spots his own tail and mistakes it for food, he swallows himself and...disappears!

Last published as a board book in 1998, this classic story whimsically illustrated by Eric Carle returns with refreshed colors and layout, and a fresh new cover design. Children and adults alike will enjoy this hilarious tale of a snake too greedy for his own good!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Poetry, School, Kids

24 pages, Board Book

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Richard Buckley is a freelance writer and editor as well as being a chartered accountant.

In addition to his poetry he has written short stories, children's books, and on business and professional subjects.

He worked in New York for five years and has also travelled in North and South America, Central Asia and Europe.

At the time of writing 'The Dutiful Penguin' he was living in Gloucestershire, married to his Austrian-born wife Elfie and their two sons, Sebastian and Benedict.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This board book was an enjoyable read. Not to the same standard has The Hungry Caterpillar but an enjoyable cautionary tale about not eating too many animals all at once. It is also quite a nice counting story and we did enjoy the ending. This does have a lovely twist to the tale!

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A snake eats an increasingly unlikely amount and increasingly unlikely forms of prey. Just weird enough to work.

And in addition to introducing carnivorism and different types of animals to little ones, it can be a counting book if you want.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We've read many of Eric Carle's books and we have loved them, especially The Very Hungry Caterpillar (of course.) A dream of mine is to visit the The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art someday; that's how much I love picture books.

One thing I've noticed, however; since he has such a distinctive illustrative style, sometimes I confuse one book for another or forget which ones I've read. So, when I saw this book, authored by Richard Buckley, I was sure that I'd never read it before.

This is a fun story to read aloud; it has a nicely rhyming narrative and a whimsical plot. It would be fun to compare this book to the classic song/book There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. The ending is quite metaphysical for a board book.

I can't read books like this with our girls anymore, so I sneak to the library to get my fix. (Yes, I admit it, I'm a picture-book junkie!) I still love the visual appeal of fun board books like this one.

[Willa Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mom: Was the book okay (3stars) or did you like it ( 4 stars) or did you really like it (5 stars)?
Julie: I REALLY likes it. Give it 5 stars mommy.
Mom. Woah. Ok. 5 stars it is.

Mom: Why did you like it?
Julie: the silly guy kept eating!
Mom: what else did you like about it?
Julie: I liked seeing the different animals he could eat.
Mom: Would you recommend this book to your classmates? Why?
Julie: yes; because it is a fun read and I liked to see him fat and happy.
Mom: did you like the illustration?
Julie: yes.
Mom: can you describe to me what or why you liked it?
Julie: they were fun and funny when he was fat.
Mom: Do you have anything else to say about this book?
Julie: No mommy. Go to sleep now.

[Hannah Kubacak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This children’s book checks all the boxes for me. 1) it’s not obnoxious to read. 2) there is an actual plot. 3) the conclusion makes sense without being problematic. 4) the illustrations are delightful.

[Amy Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect book for early years / KS1 due to the simple text and colourful illustrations. The moral of the text is a great thing to teach children and the incorporation of rhyme throughout makes this text very effective.

[crashqueen73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great read aloud. I am working on reading more picture books to my Year 3/4 class to work on understanding theme. This book worked perfectly for greed!
Great illustrations and cool story. All students were engaged with this one!

[Villain E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another Eric Carle animal book. A python swallows whole a long list of animals, but gets so full that he spits them back out. Told in rhyme. The art doesn't depict the action of the story, it just has pictures of the animals on the list.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely, simple pictures, and a funny story about a python eating everything he comes across, including himself.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute easy to read book. Reminds me a little of "there was an old lady who swallowed a fly..." Loved the rhymes and "moral" :)

[Michelle Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute and enjoyable tale.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A humorous, rhyming story tells what happens when a python bites off more than he can chew. Carle's illustrations are always instantly recognizable.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story and most of all, the illustrations that go along with it. This story builds on all the different animals that the python eats, which is everything that is near by, and then the snakes stomach grew so big that he coughed them all u, which made him feel better, but then he was just as hungry as before, and ends up eating himself, because he puts his tail in his mouth and swallows his whole body. This book is really cute, and a strength of the book is that it teaches children what can happen if they are too greedy, and this message is portrayed through an example with animals, so children can relate to it easily. I think this book would appeal to teachers of young children because it has a solid idea and morals behind it that can spark conversation of young minds.

[Evianrei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny little book I got for my 2 month old son. He enjoys the pictures (as he does with his other books that are illustrated by Eric Carle). I find the rhymes and story in this book to be quite funny and entertaining, my son thus far likes to listen to this one but doesn't coo or talk while I read like he does with others. May re-visit this review once when he's practicing talking and reading himself. For now he just likes to hear me read it and look at the pictures. Beginning rhyme was a bit of a stretch. I normally pronounce "been" as 'bin' so I stumbled the first time reading this, having to go back and say 'bean' for it to rhyme properly.

[Asho · Rating 3 out of 5]

F was given this book as a Christmas gift. It is part of a collection of books illustrated by Eric Carle. She's 9 months old so the moral of the greedy python not learning his lesson was totally lost on her, of course, but she seemed to like the rhyming text and illustrations, as evidenced by how much she slammed on the pages with her hands as I read. She seemed especially intrigued by the picture of the gigantic over-stuffed python. I was just happy that all of the animals that were swallowed survived!

[Nicola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Miss 3 loves some of Eric Carle's picture books (like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar") but this one didn't work so well for her.

Miss 3 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Mary Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eric Carle's illustrations definitely bring this book to life. His unique style of tissue paper characters make the pictures as fun as the clever rhymes that Richard Buckley uses. This is a great book to share with young children, helping them learn the concept of greed and why it is not a desirable trait.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book written by Buckley and illustrated by Eric Carle, with another possible message about greed and the consequences or just a random story about a python.
You can decide.
Nicely illustrated by Carle, with a somewhat traumatic ending for the python, in what is even unbelievable even to the small set I would expect.
Eric Carle 22/80

[Alicia]

A fabulous read aloud with the words and made more fun by Carle's illustrative style, this is about a python whose eyes are bigger than his stomach and he continually consumes more and more until he's full on ready to burst.

Read at the Eric Carle Museum library!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fitting end for an,icky python, in my opinion. Ha.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sligtly more difficult early reader.

[Ashley Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another classic from the Eric Carle collection. Perfect for kids and beautiful to boot!

[K Morlando · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric Carle books are a classroom favorite!

[Anishka Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mommy and I love reading this book because I learned how to count and I learned the sound of the snake. My, my, snakes do eat a lot.

*20 months old*

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

the meter grabs and holds the attention of even a fallen back and overtired Standard Time toddler

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book. Fun story.

[Amara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is not good. If not for Eric Carle illustrations, it would've been a one-star.

[Naomi Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a great rhyme scheme, but there's something about many of Eric Carle's stories that I just find undeniably creepy although I have as yet figured out why.

[Shalla Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought for my Art Club to introduce snake crafts. They loved it (ages 2-8).

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great rhymes, animals, and counting. Perfect for toddlers!