Frog and Friends

October 1, 2011

Gr 1-2-This clever beginning reader is divided into three chapters. Frog and his friends tackle an unsolved mystery involving a balloon (or possibly a hippopotamus egg), discover the amazing cycle of regifting, and learn the social graces for managing uninvited houseguests. Repetition, white space, and a large font help prepare children for tackling a smattering of more challenging vocabulary. Bright cartoon illustrations provide some picture clues. Readers will enjoy feeling superior to Frog and his friends, who never manage to identify the orange balloon that lands in the pond. The story comes full circle in the third chapter when a hippopotamus actually does visit the pond and Frog worries that it has come for its egg-which they accidentally killed (popped). A fun addition to early-reader sections.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2011

Frog and his friends Rabbit, Possum, Raccoon and Squirrel tickle funny bones, explore the world, solve problems and support each other in this trio of stories.

In the first, Frog calls his friends to see the strange orange object he finds. Their guesses as to what it might be are certain to keep readers in stitches. In the second, Raccoon's gift of a scarf to the neckless Frog turns out to be not-so-perfect until a helping hand steps in. In the last story, a runaway zoo hippo who wants to see the world takes up every inch of space in the pond. Frog cleverly finds a way to get Hippo to appreciate the life he left behind so that he can have his pond back. Masse's brilliantly colored cartoon illustrations capture both the forest pond that is Frog's home as well as the personalities of each character—the rather protective mother Possum is depicted with a lacey collar, and Raccoon sports a natty poncho.

Here's to many more adventures for Frog and his friends, who are sure to go home with fans of Fluffy and Morris. (Early reader. 5-8)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

January 1, 2012
In three stories about friendship, cute-as-can-be Frog and his friends try to identify a mysterious object in the pond, re-gift an imperfect--or is it perfect?--scarf, and help an escaped hippo appreciate zoo life. The thoughtful placement of the illustrations supports the easy-to-read text well, giving new readers a good foundation for more challenging books.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)