Toad Or Frog, Swamp Or Bog?: A Big Book of Nature's Confusables [Hardcover]

Lynda Graham-barber (Author), Alec Gillman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1994

A close-up look at the mysteries of the natural world focuses on the similarities and differences between easily confusable animals--frogs and toads, ravens and crows--and other natural elements.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A cluttered structure obscures the merits of this helpfully illustrated and informative book. Spreads challenging the reader to identify various subjects ("Are those swarming insects wasps or bees? / What's the difference between deciduous and evergreen trees?") alternate with pages of illustrated, columnar comparisons and contrasts (bees eat nectar, wasps eat meat; bees are short and stubby, wasps' bodies are tapered). The presentation of two groups of two can be choppy, and the full-spread art and rhyming verse of the interspersed pages seem aimed at a much younger audience than that addressed on the text-heavy explanatory spreads. On the other hand, Gillman's art--rendered in watercolors, colored pencils and ink--achieves a happy balance of the instructive and the imaginative, and Graham-Barber's teaching devices are unusual and effective. Ages 5-10.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-There is loads of information in this colorful picture book that points out the distinguishing features of many commonly confused animals, plants, and weather conditions. The rhyming questions, "What is the difference between a frog and a toad?/Is that a moose or a caribou crossing the road?" are superimposed on a full-color stylized painting that sets the scene. When readers turn the page, they'll find a double-page spread on which frogs and toads and moose and caribou are compared and contrasted in illustrated columns of text. Many interesting facts are introduced in the 22 comparative entries, such as that an octopus prefers to crawl while a squid is a strong swimmer. An enjoyable way to set the record straight.
Eva Elisabeth Von Ancken, Trinity Pawling School, NY
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (March 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0027369315
• ISBN-13: 978-0027369311
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,150,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lynda Graham-Barber

Books:

The Animals' Winter Sleep.  Illus. Nancy Carol Willis. Birdsong Books, 2008.  

Spy Hops and Belly Flops.  Illus. Brian Lies. Houghton Mifflin, 2004.  

Say Boo!  Illus. Barbara Lehman. Candlewick Press, 1997.

A Chartreuse Leotard in a Magenta Limousine. Illus. Barbara Lehman. Hyperion, 1995.

Toad or Frog? Swamp or Bog?  Illus. Alec Gilman. Simon & Schuster, 1994. 

Ho! Ho! Ho!   Illus. Betsy Lewin. Bradbury Press, 1994.

Doodle Dandy!  Illus. Betsy Lewin. Bradbury Press, 1992. 

Gobble!  Illus. Betsy Lewin. Bradbury Press, 1991.

Mushy!  Illus. Betsy Lewin. Bradbury Press, 1991.

Personality Decorating.  Fawcett Columbine, 1986.

The Kit Furniture Book.  Pantheon Books, 1983.

Flat Fish, Round Fish and Other Animal Changes.  Illus. Pamela Carroll. Crown, 1982.

Who Lives Inside?  Illus. Ray Barber. Grosset & Dunlap, 1976. 


Book Awards and Distinctions:


~"Main Selection" Literary Guild
~Avon paperbacks
~Runner-up "New Jersey Kids' Pick"
~American Book Sellers "Pick" 
~People Magazine "Pick"
~"Book of the Month" National Wildlife Federation;
~"50 Best Books" American Institute of Graphic Artists
~Scholastic Book Clubs
~Delaware Diamonds Booklist 2009-2010.

Curriculum Vitae:  

NYC editorial: Morrow Jr. Books; Crown; Harcourt; Holt, Rinehart; Western.
Faculty, Institute of Children's Literature, W. Redding, CT. 
MFA Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults, Vermont College, Montpelier, VT.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow this is a super book about nature!, January 1, 2012

By 

David Donohue "MD, FACP" (Wilmington, Delaware, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Toad Or Frog, Swamp Or Bog?: A Big Book of Nature's Confusables (Hardcover)

I read quite a few nature books to my 7 year old daughter. This one is a gem. It takes a very cool approach, looking at similar animals and other natural phenomena. Like alligators and crocodiles, rain and snow. It also educates about things unfamiliar like muskrats, juxtaposed with beavers. You learn a great deal about how the pair of animals are similar and how they are different. It is a very appealing way of teaching this subject material. I (the dad) learned a lot in this book. It is a very good book to read to the kids. It takes a couple hours to get through the whole book. It is worth a reread, as it is so rich in interesting info.

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the hike!, September 23, 2005

By 

Agatha McDuff "freezepopmom" (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Toad Or Frog, Swamp Or Bog?: A Big Book of Nature's Confusables (Hardcover)

Our 5-yr-olds found this at the Greenleaf Hut on Mt. Lafayette while we were resting. After reading through the first few pages they wanted to stay there longer so we could read the rest. (Pretty high praise for a book!) I had to promise them I'd find it for them before they'd go down the rest of the way. Fortunately we found some available at reasonable prices. It's excellent for picture-reading and older readers, with fun information. Our 3rd -grader likes to spend time poring over the pages in his free time, and I learned some things from it too! I recommended it to our school library. It's one of our most prized posessions , at the moment. Thanks, amazon and adasbaby, for the prompt delivery of the book in such excellent condition.