When a big bétail (big animal) intrudes into the swampland on a gloomy day, the bayou critters are fearful. The big bétail is Andrew Armadillo from Texas. A huge creature with a hard shell, cowboy boots, and thick-lensed spectacles, Andrew at first frightens our bayou friends with his strange accent and booming voice.

Unknowingly, this stranger destroys Clovis Crawfish's mudhouse. Clovis tries to defend his territory by confronting this immense animal. Rene Rainfrog, Denis Dirt Dauber, and the others scamper out of sight when the big bétail begins to speak. As Bertile Butterfly flies away, she is trapped in a thornbush. Andrew, protected by his hard shell and propped up on his long tail, rescues Bertile.

Mary Alice Fontenot, creator of Clovis Crawfish and the author of all the books in the series, is a self-described "part Cajun" and a native of Eunice, Louisiana. She worked as a newspaperwoman for 35 years and as a kindergarten teacher. Currently, she lectures in schools throughout Louisiana.

Illustrator Scott Blazek is a Lutheran minister and an accomplished freelance artist, winning awards for poster designs for several Louisiana festivals. Illustrator Scott R. Blazek resides in Clovis, New Mexico. He has illustrated half of the books in the Clovis Crawfish series, and he recently, won a $2,500 prize from the U.S. Mint for designing a five-dollar gold coin featuring James Madison for their Bill of Rights Commemorative Coins set.

CLOVIS ECREVISSE ET LE GROS BÉTAIL/CLOVIS ECREVISSE ET L'OISEAU ORPHELIN
By Mary Alice Fontenot
Narrated by Mary Alice Fontenot
Boxed
Total running time: 30 minutes
ISBN: 1-56554-107-3
EAN: 978-1-56554-107-8 audio