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From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other—just as best friends should be.
The endearing pair hop along through five enchanting stories, looking for lost buttons, greeting the spring, and waiting for mail. Their genuine care for each other makes Frog and Toad two of the finest amphibious role models around. Young readers will chuckle with Frog as they watch Toad's silly efforts to make up a story. And they will applaud Toad as he finally wakes up after hibernating all winter. The fifth story will warm the hearts of any would-be pen pal--or anyone who has ever known what it's like to have a true-blue (or green) friend.
Arnold Lobel's comfortable brown and green illustrations invite and delight every reader, setting the tone for warm, funny stories about friendship. A Caldecott Honor Book and finalist for the National Book Award for Children's Literature, this installment of Lobel's classic Frog and Toad series is another essential addition to any youngster's shelf. If you need even more of Frog and Toad, don't miss Frog and Toad Together, Frog and Toad All Year, and Days with Frog and Toad. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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This book, published in 1970, is the first of four. The two friends are somewhat like the Odd Couple, two best friends with distinctly different personalities. Frog is usually cheerful, while Toad tends to view things from a darker side. In "Spring", Frog convinces Toad that Spring really is here, that it is worth it to get out of the bed where Toad's been lying for so long his calendar still says November.
In "The Story", Toad (who isn't quite as much a creative thinker as Frog) struggles to think up a story to cheer up his ailing friend - he struggles so hard that Frog ends up comforting him!
"A Lost Button" is an amusing story about a search for (you guessed it) a lost button - Toad's lost his button, and Frog spends his time looking for it - they find many buttons, but not the one Toad's looking for, which turns up back at Toad's house. He reward his friend by sewing him a special jacket filled with all the buttons.
In "A Swim", the self-conscious Toad tries to hide while putting on his swim suit, but ends up being seen by everyone, wearing his funny striped suit. Even Frog laughs at him - but he manages to walk home with dignity.
"The Letter" is the last story in this book. Like many little children, Toad loves getting letters but is really sad because nobody writes to him. Frog comes to the rescue, eventually, with the help of a turtle mail carrier.
The stories are short, sweet and about friendship, but in a simple manner. Drawings of Frog and Toad are on almost every page, and are detailed enough to warrant a lengthy view and some comments from young readers. The words are understandable and readable enough for very young readers, yet they manage to hold a story with an amusing message.
My (four-year-old) daughter and I both love this book. The stories are funny and become funnier with each re-reading. For example, in the final story, Frog writes Toad a letter because Toad never receives mail and becomes sad every day at mailtime. Frog proceeds to give his letter to a snail for delivery. Frog cannot stand the suspense of waiting for the snail to deliver the letter, so he tells Toad about the letter and relates the contents. Together, they happily wait for the letter to arrive, which takes four days. Every time we read this story, my daughter laughs because Frog gave his letter to a snail, when everyone knows that snails are the slowest creatures alive.
The Frog and Toad books represent a perfect bridge from picture books to books where the words provide the story and the illustrations are infrequent and/or merely supplemental. The stories in these books are carried forward by the words, but the illustrations on each page would keep even the most dedicated picture-liking child happy.
If you're looking for a book to read aloud to your four to five year old, give Frog and Toad a try. You won't be sorry.
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