From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-An exploration of the life cycles of two animals, told in story format. The lyrical narratives have somewhat sophisticated language, which makes these titles inaccessible to newly independent readers, and their British origin is evident as both books focus on the European species. While the lives of these creatures are basically the same, American readers may be misled by certain statements. For example, one of the frog's major predators listed is the hedgehog, which is not found in the U.S. The fact that the featured animals are European is only found in the fact pages at the back of the books, and young readers might end up with some erroneous information. Of the two, The Rabbit is slightly more successful because it is more general. Full-page, striking illustrations in muted colors accompany the texts.
Arwen Marshall, formerly at New York Public Library
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
Seldom has a common frog looked so regal, outside of a fairy tale, as in this gloriously illustrated life cycle. Describing the common European frog in rich detail, the author records how the frog stalks his first meal, a pink juicy worm, after the winter hibernation: He bides his time, toes twitching. Then he pounces, seizing the wriggling prey in his wide mouth. He scrapes off the dirt with delicate fingers before gulping it down whole. The frog finds other creatures to munch on the way to the pond, and narrowly misses becoming a meal for a hedgehog. At the pond, he mates, and then the text and illustrations describe the process by which the tiny jelly-like eggs hatch into tadpoles and develop into froglets and finally frogs. Kitchen's cutaway pond paintings are especially compelling as they show the frogs above and below the surface of the pond. Readers in the US, more familiar with the common green leopard frog, will find many similar elements in the life cycle of this golden bronze neighbor, Rana temporaria. Part of the Animal Lives series by Kingfisher, including The Rabbit (not reviewed). The Rabbit which focuses on a European rabbit, rather than the familiar cottontail of the US. These are handsome, informative, inexpensive titles with outstanding illustrations. (frog facts, Web sites and organizations for more information, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 7-10) -- Copyright © 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Sally Tagholm's works include The Complete Book of the Night, The Barn Owl, and The Rabbit, both NSTS-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children (Kingfisher -- Animal Lives series), described by The Kirkus Reviews as "handsome, informative, inexpensive titles with outstanding illustrations." The Barn Owl, described by School Libary Journal as "an outstanding offering, " was also a National Association of Parenting Publications of America (NAPPA) award winner.
