Check It Out

I am in need of spring. What better way to find spring than to read about tadpoles?  Little Green Frogs by Frances Barry is a delightful and whimsical way to explain the life cycle of little green frogs. By the way go to her website.  It reflects her whimsy as an author/illustrator.

First of all the book is not your standard rectangular or square book. No it resembles the shape of a lily pad by having seven sides (okay so, a lily pad with straight lines).  Then the title page is circular in nature followed by petal shaped pages which fold out to read.  At the end of the book, you are left with a flower like pond scene.  The last page has a secret flap which when you lift it, provides instructions for the care of tadpoles at home.

The text is playful and leads you through the development of a tadpole   The repetitive “Frog eggs, frog eggs” and “tadpole, tadpoles…etc.” creates a rhythm that the youngest readers will love. 

Barry’s paper collage illustrations match the text that makes a reader wish for spring sooner than later.  I hope the unique folded pages will survive the many hands I expect it to be in.

Title: Little Green Frogs
Author: Frances Barry
Date Published: 2008
Pages: unpaged
Grade: pre-K-2
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3725-5
Source of Book: Publisher sent for CYBILS consideration.

Anastasia Suen is rounding up Nonfiction Monday at Picture Book of the Day. Exciting news for Nonfiction Monday: soon to be hosted by a variety of bloggers just like Poetry Friday.

Happy Reading.

MsMac