Review by Booklist Review
There is no denying it: frogs don't have long ears, or wings, or curly tails. Nope. Little Frog is lacking these crucial qualifications for being a rabbit, an owl, or a pig. But he sure doesn't want to be a frog. He is not into the slime aspect or the bug-eating. It's left to his calm, rational dad to explain why he, a frog, cannot be, say, a pig. Most of all because you're a Frog. But also because you don't have a curly tail or eat garbage. When Frog protests, I can eat garbage, his dad replies, Everyone says that until they eat garbage. The young frog remains dissatisfied until a passing predator explains one unique benefit of being a frog: frogs are the one thing he won't eat, too wet and slimy and full of bugs. Lively digitally painted illustrations capture the interplay between the impulsive little frog and his patient dad. Silliness and deadpan humor combine into a hopping good story of being happy with who you are.--Willey, Paula Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
First-time author Petty's dialogue between a frog father and his son makes its point about accepting one's nature with a big grin. Boldt (Colors Versus Shapes) draws the two with exaggerated stringiness: the son is all rubber lips and sticky toes, his bespectacled father working as straight man. The young frog would rather be a cat, or perhaps a rabbit. "You can't be a Rabbit," says his beleaguered father. "Why not? Look, I can hop!" "Sure, but where are your long ears?" The small frog looks up, purses his lips, and feels around his head-nothing! "Besides," his father adds, "what's wrong with being a Frog?" "It's too slimy," the young frog replies. He wants to be a pig, then an owl, until a wolf appears-one who loves to eat cats, rabbits, pigs, and owls, but considers frogs "too wet and slimy and full of Bugs." Now the frog sees his existence in a delightful new light. The story might create similar gratitude in the minds of readers-or it might just make them giggle. Ages 3-7. Illustrator's agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Expressive, painted illustrations depict two bipedal frogs deep in a discussion. The duo is set against a solid colored background where sparse details successfully highlight the conversation, which is conveyed in speech balloons. The smaller of the frogs announces that he doesn't want to be a frog, he'd prefer to be a cat, pig, rabbit, or owl. The larger frog has a counterargument for each choice. Finally, a large wolf interjects that we would eat anything, except for frogs, the reasons being the qualities that the small frog also dislikes: too wet, slimy, and bug-eating. This amusing story ends with a laugh and a much more content frog.-Laura Hunter, Mount Laurel Library, NJ (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
One young frog declares he'd rather be a cat, pig, rabbit, or owl than a wet, slimy, bug-eating frog. His dad has good counter arguments, but the little guy is convinced when a wolf says he eats cats, pigs, rabbits, and owls but not wet, slimy, bug-filled frogs. Silly illustrations of leggy frogs and quick-fire speech-balloon dialogue make for a humorous self-acceptance story. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A tiny frog desperately wishes to be any other animal.After reading a book about a cat, the young frog stretches open his mouth as wide as it will go and decidedly declares, "I want to be a CAT." His father patiently explains, "You can't be a CAT.Because you're a FROG." But frogs are too wet and slimy. The little frog then decides to be a rabbit. After all, he can already hop. But father points out that he does not have long ears. The young amphibian is not deterred. There are many other optionsa pig, perhaps? Or an owl? But his no-nonsense father explains away each one. Until a wolf, who enjoys eating many animalsexcept wet, slimy frogscomes along and changes the young frog's perspective. Debut author Petty presents a droll take on this oft-explored wish of being different. But what shines the brightest is Boldt's expressive frog duo. Question-weary grown-ups will understand the father's heavy-lidded eyes, and nothing embodies a childlike curiosity (and/or crazy, determined declarations) more than the tiny frog's wide-open mouth. Colored speech bubbles distinguish the speakers' words and tumble over each other on the page. A lively look at self-acceptance. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
