The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone [Paperback]

Timothy Basil Ering (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

"Frog Belly plants the idea that with some strategy, good communication, and goodwill, you can grow wonderful things." — PORTLAND PRESS HERALD

Once upon a time, in a gray endless place called Cementland, there lived a boy who wished to find a treasure. After searching through piles of toaster ovens and wet smelly socks, he spies a box filled with specks and a note that says, "Put these wondrous riches in the earth and enjoy." Horrified to learn that thieves are after his treasure, the boy scrounges in the junkyard and conjures a scarecrow-like creature to stand guard: Frog Belly Rat Bone, king and protector of the specks. With subtle tones and bursts of glowing color, Tim Ering’s surreal artwork and hand-lettered text exude all the whimsy of an inspired imagination — and the wonders of a natural world that awaits discovery, even in Cementland.

A NICK JR. FAMILY MAGAZINE Best Book of the Year

A New England Book Show Juvenile Category Winner

A New York Book Show Children’s Trade Hardcover Winner

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. Welcome to Cementland, "a dull, gray, endless place" of ruined buildings, exposed plumbing, and things in corners that nobody really wants to see. In that gloomy land dwells a special boy who finds a treasure. But it is one thing to find a treasure and quite another to keep it when thieves are around. To protect the loot, the boy (a round-headed, neckless stick figure) builds a creature from wire; wet, smelly socks; and other things at hand. And so is born Frog Belly Rat Bone, and before kids can say "junkyard dog," Cementland is transformed into a garden of Eden. The story is both predictable and a tad didactic, but the art and the design are extraordinary. Ering's combination of hand-lettered text and scribbly, muddy, scratchy pictures looks like a collaboration between Tim Burton and Ralph Steadman (in a good mood). Even better, the book's covers are embossed to offer tactile pleasures that the textured inside art only implies. Children will skim the story, but savor the art. Michael Cart
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Timothy Basil Ering says that THE STORY OF FROG BELLY RAT BONE was inspired by a visit to Descanso Gardens, a botanical garden in Pasadena, California, where there is a private garden for urban Los Angeles schoolchildren. "For as long as I can remember, I have loved to mix up words and phrases into silly little combinations that would make me laugh," he explains. "I’d make up songs while meandering down the outer beach of Cape Cod to favorite fishing spots, and ‘Frog Belly Rat Bone’ was always a favorite string of nouns. Then one day in Pasadena, I sat at a tiny picnic table in the children’s garden and began to sketch the garden’s scarecrow. I knew at that moment that Frog Belly Rat Bone had found a home." Timothy Basil Ering’s artwork has appeared in books, magazines, theater sets, private murals, and fine art galleries. A resident of Somerville, Massachusetts, he is enamored of the sea and has a passion for nature and the outdoors. This is his first picture book with Candlewick Press.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (January 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763626112
• ISBN-13: 978-0763626112
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 0.2 x 9.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,348 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gentle and utterly charming book, beautifully illustrated., May 5, 2003

By 

dina_c "dina_c" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone (Hardcover)

I got this book to have on hand when my three year old niece came for a visit this past weekend. Before I picked it up and actually read it, I was worried that it might be scary for her, because of the cover illustration.

After reading the story (while standing in the store), I realized that it was not a scary book at all. I figured that she might like it, so I bought it.

I figured wrong. She didn't just like it; she *LOVED* it. I ended up having to read it to her SEVENTEEN times over the space of the weekend visit. She walked around the house, saying, "Frog Belly Rat Bone, One, Two, Three," all weekend.

The illustrations in the book are delightful and richly detailed. The artist's use of color, the charm of the story, and the detailing of the cover make this book a pleasure to read to a child (even SEVENTEEN times). And her mom was pleased with the points it very gently makes about persistance and forgiving people when they've made mistakes.

This one's a winner, and I suspect, destined to be a classic.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful story with Fabulous Illustrations, August 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone (Hardcover)

I have never written a review for a book before, regardless of how much I loved it, and yet I feel compelled to let everyone know that I absolutely love this one. I picked it up because of the colorful and creative illustrations and found not only were the pictures great, but the story was the perfect combination of fun, sweetness, and a little bit of life's lessons that are worth learning. My three-year old son loves this book as well and I never find myself tiring of reading it to him.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, June 5, 2003

By 

K M "Malecken" (Grosse Pointe, MI USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone (Hardcover)

Intriqued by the illustration, I bought this book for my 4 yr. old son. I am not sure who loves it more.
Richly illustrated, this book wraps itself around you and draws you in to a wondrous world.
The story is engaging and not 'written down'. A great opportunity for vocabulary expanding. Many teaching moments and a great way to introduce a child to gardening.
Most importantly, my son loves it and Frog Belly!