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Hop Frog by Rick Chrustowski — book cover
Frogs, Toads & Turtles

Hop Frog

by Rick Chrustowski
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Overview

Follow the life of one small frog as he journeys from tadpole to adulthood.

One spring day a frog’s egg hatches in a quiet lake. The tiny tadpole that emerges is weak at first, but little by little he grows stronger. Soon he sprouts legs and swims to the lake’s surface to breathe. A few weeks later he hops out of the lake onto dry land, a young frog at last.

Land turns out to be a very different place from his watery home. The newcomer must learn how to hunt for food. He has to dodge unfamiliar predators. But the little frog is lucky: he survives these dangers.

In simple, poetic text and vibrant illustrations, this nonfiction picture book explores the life cycle of the leopard frog.

Describes the life cycle of a leopard frog from tadpole to adulthood

Synopsis

Follow the life of one small frog as he journeys from tadpole to adulthood.

One spring day a frog’s egg hatches in a quiet lake. The tiny tadpole that emerges is weak at first, but little by little he grows stronger. Soon he sprouts legs and swims to the lake’s surface to breathe. A few weeks later he hops out of the lake onto dry land, a young frog at last.

Land turns out to be a very different place from his watery home. The newcomer must learn how to hunt for food. He has to dodge unfamiliar predators. But the little frog is lucky: he survives these dangers.

In simple, poetic text and vibrant illustrations, this nonfiction picture book explores the life cycle of the leopard frog.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-This colorful picture book follows a leopard frog through his first year of life, as he grows from a tadpole to an adult. The informative text reads like a story, as Chrustowski describes the animal's transformations, highlights his adaptations, and introduces some of his many predators. Scientific details, such as the appearance of front legs at 11 weeks, blend easily with the narrative. The watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations are vibrant and crystal clear; they show close-up glimpses of the frog as well as larger scenes of the pond and its wildlife. This book can satisfy children's curiosity about this creature's life cycle while it entertains them.-Laurie von Mehren, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

About the Author, Rick Chrustowski

Rick Chrustowski is the author/illustrator of several books for young readers. He lives and works in an old farmhouse on a hill in Wisconsin.

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Editorials

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-This colorful picture book follows a leopard frog through his first year of life, as he grows from a tadpole to an adult. The informative text reads like a story, as Chrustowski describes the animal's transformations, highlights his adaptations, and introduces some of his many predators. Scientific details, such as the appearance of front legs at 11 weeks, blend easily with the narrative. The watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations are vibrant and crystal clear; they show close-up glimpses of the frog as well as larger scenes of the pond and its wildlife. This book can satisfy children's curiosity about this creature's life cycle while it entertains them.-Laurie von Mehren, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A picture book presents one year in the life of a hypothetical leopard frog, from conception in the spring through hibernation. Along the way, readers learn some pretty cool frog facts: "A male frog fills pouches of loose skin on either side of his mouth with air. Then he forces the air back and forth over his vocal chords. It sounds like a hand rubbing a wet balloon. But to a female frog it is a beautiful song." But within these frog facts lie some concerns. First, terms unfamiliar to the book's natural audience, such as "vocal chords"-or dragonfly "nymph" or "scavenger"-are presented without elaboration (and in the case of vocal cords, homonymically confused). Second, thoughts and emotions are occasionally imputed without any real basis: how can the author, or anyone else, really know what the lady frogs think about the gentleman frogs' "song"? These concerns aside, Chrustowski (Army Ant Parade, 2002, etc.) by and large does a good job of presenting the basic facts of frog life. The frog duly grows from tadpolehood to maturity, a couple of encounters with predators adding dramatic tension and hinting at the fates of other, not-so-lucky frogs. Colored pencil drawings over watercolor wash are sharp, clear, and accurate, but they do not have the artistry of, say, a Jim Arnosky illustration. A full page of further "Frog Facts" follows the narrative, somewhat duplicating what has gone before and neglecting to mention such a salient fact as the range of the leopard frog. With a wealth of frog books available to the budding scientist, this is just an additional purchase. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-7)

Book Details

Published
April 1, 2003
Publisher
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Pages
32
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780805066883

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