Customer Reviews

Frog

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The plot has been outlined above and below so I won't reiterate; but will add that the part that I appreciate and emphasize to my children is that fact that Joe saves the frog (almost befriends him in children's minds) not by splashing about or by trying to capture him in a net, but by being quiet and slow and gentle. Frog, you see, is "very tired, and very, very scared" and Little Joe saves him by "[V]ery carefully" moving "his hand up under Frog's feet until Frog was sitting on his palm, and he lifted Frog very gently out of the water."

I like the compassion the family shows for the creature, as well as the fact that gentleness is demonstrated to be more effective than force. [I don't know if all children are this way, but we seem to spend a lot of time warning our children to be gentle with the cat, frog, dog... etc.] Nice to have this teaching 'seconded' by the author.

Four Stars. [B+] Excellent artwork. Good Read-aloud. Could be used as a book for an advanced first or second grader except for the fact that this is one of "those books" that uses the occasional 'funny-peculiar' shaped font. [My 6 yo had problems with those words, at least.]

"Frog" combines an easy-to-read text by Susan Cooper with wonderful illustrations by Jane Browne. The book tells the story of Joe, a little boy who can't swim, even though other members of his family are skillful swimmers. This makes Joe sad. However, Joe's situation takes an unexpected turn when a small frog from a nearby pond becomes trapped in Joe's swimming pool.

This is a moving story that's told with charm and compassion. Both Joe and "Frog" are wonderful characters with whom I could really identify. The full-color illustrations really complement their story well; Browne does a particularly nice job of capturing the play of light in water. And together with Cooper she creates a very satisfying conclusion to the mildly suspenseful story. A sweet and uplifting book, "Frog" is a winner.

Short but sweet. My daughter loves this book and it has made her love swimming and frogs even more.

My grandson was devastated when the book he adores, "Frog" disappeared from the shelves of his library. As it is out of print, my daughter could not replace it. So I was very happy to find it on Amazon. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to bits when he receives it for his birthday.