Tale of a tadpole

PreS-Gr 2-With a spare, flowing text, this book covers the growth and development cycle of a frog from egg to tadpole to mature adult with comments on the animal's anatomy and physiology and likely predators. It is heavily illustrated with striking full-color photographs and insets that invite a close inspection of features that might normally be overlooked, such as the creature's delicate fingers, tiny nostrils, or long tongue. The photographs are well chosen to illustrate this lively, carefully written narrative. Although the content differs little from a host of other books including Gail Gibbons's Frogs (Holiday, 1993) and Douglas Florian's Discovering Frogs (Scribners, 1986), the stunning illustrations and targeted easy-reader audience make it a worthwhile addition.-Stephanie Bianchi, National Science Foundation Library, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

This well-paced narrative covers the life cycle of frogs from egg to adult. The text also introduces beginning readers to other residents of the pond habitat such as the stickleback fish and dragonfly. Though the color photographs provide excellent details, the photo editing and choice of layout impart an artificial feeling. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.