| Basically a good and motivating ativity, but as a native speaker with some expertise in the primary FL classroom I would like to comment on the following:
I would not ignore the (international) convention of numbering word puzzle (not technically a 'crossword' here) items from left to right and from top to bottom. Rather keep the conventional numbering pattern and change the numbers in the text - this would make it easier for pupils to find the relevant places in the puzzle.
Not sure of the relevance of repeating names from the dedication to any primary class, since nothing further is known about these people. Also, dedicated to/ misfortune (some bad luck/ an accident?) are unlikely lexemes for the young learner. Also not very common - 'out of reach'.
... Rabbit had an idea.
Adverbs are misplaced: First he pulled an elephant .../ He first pulled an el.../ Or He pulled an elephant first (anywhere but where it is!) But the whole construction sounds strange. I don't know the book, so it's difficult to advise on an alternative construction. Perhaps, First he saw an elephant and pulled him along (to the plane) to help. The he found a rhino and pushed him along (to the plane) to help. He even (word order) carried a deer, ... to the plane.
A goose produces goslings, not ducklings (!)
... held a squirrel up? - brought along a squirrel? (Are they all making a tower, or are they pulling the plane out of a ditch?) (I must get this book!)
When they all fell down (rather than 'After...)
BTW, use a tool like http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/CrissCrossSetupForm.html to make crisscross puzzles, don't mess with a table.
Best wishes,
whiterose
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