The Biggest Frog in Australia [Paperback]

Susan L. Roth (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Once, in the Dreamtime, the biggest frog in Australia woke up thirsty. So thirsty that he drinks up all the water from the oceans, lakes, rivers, billabongs, puddles, and even from the clouds. When he is done, the earth is parched, and the other animals are thirsty.

Wise old Wombat suggests that the animals try to make the biggest frog laugh, so the water will spill out of his mouth. But the frog barely hears Kookaburra's best jokes, and yawns at Kangaroo's acrobatics. Koala waddles ridiculously, but still no luck.

What will make the frog laugh and bring life back to Australia?

Find out in this colorful retelling of a classic Australian folktale.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3?When a very thirsty frog drinks all of Australia's water, leaving none for the plants or other animals, they try to trick him into opening his mouth so that the water will flow out. Kangaroo, Koala, and Wombat wiggle and jump, but their acrobatics fail to elicit a chuckle from the frog. Two eels, who twist themselves into a slipknot and burst apart like coiled springs, finally succeed in getting him to guffaw, thus releasing so much water that the animals must flee to higher ground. This original tall tale, inspired by "Tiddalik the Flood-maker" from Charles P. Montford's The Dreamtime: Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings (Rigby Ltd., 1976; o.p.), contains familiar motifs presented with fresh energy. Appropriately, the crayon-bright red frog overflows the edges of most pages. Brilliantly colored cut-paper collages feature a multitude of textures, including fuzzy white paper that forms the kookaburra's feathers and the koala's ears, and marbleized paper to depict water. This is a title that begs to be shared with a group. Children will love the beasts' zany antics as well as the book's artistic inventiveness.?Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Ages 5^-7. "Once, in the Dreamtime, the biggest frog in Australia woke up very thirsty." After he drinks up all the water on the continent and even in the rain clouds, the earth is parched and the other animals are thirsty. They hope to make the enormous frog laugh, forcing the water to come spilling out. Finally they succeed, and the water flows back to the ocean, lakes, rivers, billabongs, puddles, and clouds. A highlight is the striking collages of cut papers, many with unusual textures or painted surfaces. The story is based on an Australian aboriginal myth, and its humor will hold an audience, particularly a class studying Australia. A short glossary explains the meaning of Australian terms, but the story will flow better for children who already know a wombat from a dingo. Carolyn Phelan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689833148
• ISBN-13: 978-0689833144
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #779,156 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Explore the World > Australia & Oceania

More About the Author

Susan L. Roth is the author and illustrator of many wonderful books for children, including Hard Hat Area and the best-selling My Love for You. Her books have received such awards as the New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year, ABA Pick of the Lists, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. She has three grown children and lives with her husband in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Biggest Frog in Australia, March 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Biggest Frog in Australia (Hardcover)

My son (age 8) was learning about the country of Australia in school and his teacher read them this book. He then had to express his thoughts about the book in the form of a shadow box. He expressed the "coolness" of the frog to drink all the water and the bright colors used in the book. He also thought that it was really neat in how they expressed him (frog) spilling all the water out once the two eels got entangled with each other and started to make different shapes which caused him to laugh and release all the water.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Biggest Frog in Australia, September 6, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Biggest Frog in Australia (Paperback)

This book was on our library's recommended reading list for 2nd-3rd graders this summer. We got it just before school started, and my daughter ended up taking it in as one of her "favorite books" to discuss with her 2nd grade class. She laughed and laughed when the frog started dribbling water back out ("ew gross!") and when all the animals had to scatter.