In this fun-filled picture book illustrated by Jim Hunt, we not only learn how and why the frog first croaked, but are subtly reminded of life's verities: that rights are not endowed, but secured by protest; that nothing is gained without effort; that communion with our fellow man and nature are utmost; and that we are all here to discover our voice, our uniqueness, our individuality. All these thing play out in this redemptive tale of a frog who, when it counts most, finds his voice. BREE-DUP!
Story Synopsis:
Once upon a pond there lived a frog who couldn't talk, and that made him very unhappy. Without a voice he couldn't make friends with the other animals. Then one night the frogs are snatched from their pond and carted away to a dark barn. With no sound the frogs could not cry for help, and no one could see their signs of protest. Our frog had to let the people know what the frogs wanted: their freedom. He summoned his courage -- and with great effort -- gulped and bulged and stretched his throat and belched out BREE-DUP (freedom, well, close enough, anyway). The other frogs followed suit and joined in the freedom chorus: BREE-DUP! BREE-DUP! Shocked and amazed, the people released the "mad frogs," who leapfrogged back to the safety of their pond. Finally, the frog was happy. He had found his voice. He could say freedom. He could learn other words, too, like rabbit. RIB-BIT! And make friends with the other animals.
