A Froggy Fable [Hardcover]

John Lechner (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 3, 2005 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

An unexpected adventure changes a frog for the better — whether he likes it or not — in a modern-day fable that challenges readers to see their own world in a new way.

Once there was a frog who lived under a rock by himself.
Every day he did the same thing.

Swimming to the pond to get breakfast, jumping onto a log to enjoy the sun, heading back to crawl under his rock again — this is one frog who likes to keep to his routine. So when some noisy otters and blue jays move in, and a giant pine crashes into the pond and messes things up, this frog is none too pleased. Still, that's nothing compared to his shock when a jar descends from above and he's whisked away in the hands of a little boy, only to find himself lost and alone in a strange new place. Now our frog's on a journey full of many dangers — and many wonders, too. Will he ever see his familiar pond again?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2–A frog is totally content with his life until his privacy is invaded. Otters arrive and splash in his pond; noisy blue jays disturb the quiet with their squawking; a pine tree falls into the once-pristine water, scattering needles all about. Then things get worse, for he finds himself trapped in a jar and being carried off by a boy on a bike. As fate would have it, the jar falls, dislodging the frog and leaving him with no choice but to find his way home. Of course, when he finally sees the once-troublesome otters splashing and hears the once-bothersome jays squawking, he realizes that he is where he belongs, and somehow the changes now seem to enrich rather than threaten his life. This tiny fable is clearly and simply told. There is minimal dialogue, and the text uses relatively short sentences, most often in a declarative style. The cartoon-style watercolor-and-ink illustrations are well drawn with minimal detail. The browns, greens, and blues in the first part of the book give way to a bold infusion of yellow to indicate the protagonist's sunnier view of his world. Although the obvious message and the very basic character development in Lechner's tale cannot rival that of Arnold Lobel's more sophisticated "Frog and Toad" series (HarperCollins), this is a pleasant read-aloud that could spark discussions with young listeners learning to cope with change in their lives.–Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Change is inevitable, but this frog is not happy about it. He likes his life under a rock, but one day, things change. Blue jays and otters move in, and the pond becomes noisy. Frog wishes life would go back to the way it was; instead, Frog's home is destroyed, and he gets caught in a jar. Through an accident, he is freed, but he is lost in the woods. After many weeks, many dangers, and many wonders, he finds his way back to his pond. Frog's adventure has taught him that he can handle the changes life throws at him, and he looks forward to building himself a new home. Deliberately message driven, this nonetheless has a simple charm, which is heightened by line drawings softly colored primarily with greens and blues. Children afraid of change may learn from Frog's new perspective. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (March 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763621234
• ISBN-13: 978-0763621230
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 0.4 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,191,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 3 1/2 It Ain't Easy Being Green, January 16, 2006

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Froggy Fable (Hardcover)

We're introduced to a frog who lives "a simple life," swimming and sitting by his little pond. Boring? Nope, in fact, "he liked it because it was always the same." However, both frog and reader are in for some surprises: "Then one day, things started to change..."

So begins this surface-simple book about adjusting to change, and how experience and attitudes can make change unpleasant or welcome. The neighboring caterpillar, for example, looks forward to change because one day he will be transformed into a butterfly. But Mr. frog wants HIS pond to stay the same.(Although author/illustrator Lechner chose not to mention the frog's own change from a tadpole and polliwog--some bright readers may raise this point.)

When a flock of noisy blue jays and a family of otters move to the pond, and a tall lightening-struck pine tree topples into it, our stability-loving frog says, `Hey, I don't like that!' Twice he calls the pond, "my pond," as if he or she enjoys exclusive rights to it. Unfortunately for the forg, things really change when a boy captures him, and the frog's attempt to get home is fraught with unexpected perils and delight. (This brief 24-page book shows only a few examples of each.) Frog finds his home, partly because he hears the splash of the noisy otters. After finally locating the pond, Frog finds that old, noisome changes have become near and dear signs of his home. When he finds his former home destroyed, he builds another one, with a better view. Not only does he not mind change so much, but "he even tried something new once in a while."

I think the book will work best in a setting that encourages discussion, such as a classroom or library reading group (although the relatively small size of the book mitigates somewhat against group discussion). The story moves quickly, and the illustrations, while pleasant, don't have a lot of emotional content (i.e., they move the story along nicely, but they're a little on the dull side). Still, verbal children--or those anxious about change--could get into the vicissitudes of amphibian life, and talk about how they deal with change in their own.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful parable of change, January 5, 2007

By 

Demeter Lyon "Mom to Toddler Boy and Baby Girl" (Bay Area, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Froggy Fable (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful story with beautiful pictures. (Yes, they are kind of simple, but there are a lot of nice details on the full page illustrations and I love the colors) I've been reading it to my son since he was two and it is short enough to hold his attention (unlike Frog and Toad) and he enjoys the pictures. I appreciate the opportunity for lessons about nature and how to treat it ("it is WRONG to steal little animals away from their homes!") as well as the lessons about change. As a previous reveiwer mentioned, the author chooses not to address the changes that the frog has already gone through in his life, but I think that provides an excellent opportunity for further discussion with our children. ("Sometimes we don't remember changes from long ago, but see how well we've done!") I don't think the opportunities for learning or discussion are in any way limited to classroom or group discussions. One-on-one with parents is entirely appropriate and has worked great for us!

And frankly, the story is so nice and clear that it can even help some of us 'grown ups' learn a bit about how to deal with change - and recognize how our attitudes might be just a little bit absurd!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, June 10, 2005

By 

C. M. Hart (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Froggy Fable (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book that children and parents will enjoy. My 5-year-old daughter looks at this book frequently, and it is an excellent bedtime story.