I Don't Want to Be a Frog - Dev Petty & Mike Boldt

Frog wants to be anything but a slimy, wet frog. A cat, perhaps. Or a rabbit. An owl? But when a hungry wolf arrives—a wolf who HATES eating frogs—our hero decides that maybe being himself isn’t so bad after all. In this very silly story with a sly message, told in hilarious dialogue between a feisty young frog and his heard-it-all-before father, young readers will identify with little Frog’s desire to be something different, while laughing along at his stubborn yet endearing schemes to prove himself right.

This book is a fantastic examination of wanting to be something or someone else. Frog wants to be a cat. Of course, young readers will realize that a frog just can't be a cat! But this is a wonderful metaphor exploring what it means to accept ourselves for who we are. Daddy frog tries to explain why little frog can't be a cat, while at the same time little frog slowly begins to understand how he can still be a frog while being himself. When he comes across someone higher up in the food chain, little frog comes to understand the being a frog really isn't such a terrible thing after all!

 The illustrations are lovely, expressive, and colourful, giving action to Petty's hilarious prose. The anthropomorphic qualities that each character exhibits makes the illustrations approachable and sympathetic for younger audiences, and the stylistic text will also add depth and excitement during a real-aloud situation.

 Highly Recommended

 (Note: This review is from an Advance F&G - Out February 24, 2015)

Comments

  1. Kim TomsicNovember 12, 2014 at 3:20 PM

    Love! I can't wait to pick up a copy at my local book store come February!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rob BittnerNovember 13, 2014 at 6:38 PM

      I know it's a wait, but I think it'll be worth it, for sure!

      Delete

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