Frog by Maggie Li

Frog by Maggie Li. Templar Books, 2023. 9781536230239 






Rating: (5 is an excellent or a Starred review)  4



Format : Board Book



What did you like about the book? This sturdy board book, part of a series called Little Life Cycles , follows a frog from jelly dot on the water to reproducing adult.  Readers will learn that, though there are lots of eggs, some will be lost to water currents or wind, or they may be eaten by bigger creatures.  The lucky ones land in safety.  Friendly blue and green illustrations follow Frog as it hatches, grows legs, then arms, and begins to look like an adult frog.  The cycle begins again as Frog finds a mate and together they make and deposit their eggs.



The text starts with a question:  “Can you see the jelly dots floating in the water?”  possibly inspiring readers living close to ponds in spring to go outside and see if they can spot some frog spawn.  For children who are ready, this book opens up opportunities to talk about how other animals, including humans, grow and change, and even about some of the dangers wild animals face – and that not all of them reach maturity.



The sentences are short and easy to read aloud, and the pictures are full of natural-looking greens and blues and show primarily the fish, eggs, tadpoles, and frogs, allowing any child to see themselves along the shore observing. 



Anything you didn’t like about it?  At first, the holes cut out of the pages are eyes, then they are eggs, then they stay eggs for a few pages, then they’re tadpole bodies, then eyes, then they’re gone for a few pages, and then they’re eggs again.  It’s like the designer came up with a great idea but didn’t fully carry it through.  What else could the cut-outs have been?  



To whom would you recommend this book?  This book is great for any littles old enough to sit for a short story and who have an interest in nature.  



Who should buy this book? Day cares, nature centers, elementary schools, public libraries.



Where would you shelve it?  Board books or 597.8



Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No.



Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Robin Shtulman, Athol Public Library, Athol, MA



Date of review: April 13, 2023