For all the fun, Frogs proves thorough, as Ingledew explains the life cycle of frogs--what tadpoles eat, when and how many eggs are laid, what stage they can leave the water and why--and memorably addresses key questions. Kids and adults needing to brush up on the definition of “amphibian” or the distinction between a frog and a toad will appreciate her efforts.
Ingledew is adept at guiding young readers through text, illustrations, and layout. Her inviting pages abound with realistic depictions of near-fantastical creatures like the strawberry poison dart frog, set amid bugs, leaves, and short statements of fact, both about frogs in general and each highlighted subspecies. She vividly highlights the organs visible through the thin skin of the South American glass frog and celebrates, in a spread that captures momentum and excitement, the athletic wonder that is Wallace’s Jumping Frog. The final pages hint at a message warning about the impact of water pollution on the world’s amphibians, but Frogs never quite addresses the issue. In addition to the welcome nature lesson, Ingledew dedicates a page to an activity for children to make their own frog by folding, with the option of cutting out bugs for the paper frogs to try to catch.
Takeaway: This gorgeous picture book celebrates the lavish diversity of frogs around the world.
Great for fans of: Irene Kelly and Margherita Borin’s A Frog’s Life, Martin Jenkins and Tim Hopgood’s Fabulous Frogs.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
