A Frog in the Bog

by Karma Wilson (Author) Joan Rankin (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

From the bestselling author of "Bear Snores On" comes this hilariously illustrated story that teaches young readers the concept of counting from one to five and back again. Full color.

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Publishers Weekly

Starred Review
This rhyming picture book about an amphibian with a big appetite has as much bounce as its titular character's spring-action legs. The "small, green frog/ on a half-sunk log/ in the middle of a bog" has, apparently, an expandable belly that can keep up with his big eyes and quick tongue. He rapidly ingests "one tick/ as it creeps up a stick," "two fleas/ as they leap through the reeds," and so on, until his wildly bulging form comes to the attention of an alligator-whom the frog had mistaken for the half-sunk log. After a dramatic splash, all the creatures involved get their just deserts. Wilson's (Bear Snores On) blend of early learning concepts, humor and wordplay make for a jaunty read-aloud. Rankin's (Mrs. McTats and Her Houseful of Cats) sassy, intricately composed watercolors feature variegated, saturated backgrounds that often look appropriately bog-spattered and sun-dried (even, sometimes, tie-dyed). Throughout, various insects and the frog himself are more crisply rendered, allowing readers to appreciate their comic expressions. Ages 3-7. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-This imaginative counting book will keep children laughing as a little frog eats his way through a variety of swamp delicacies, including "ONE tick," "TWO fleas," "THREE flies (Oh, my!)," "FOUR slugs," and "FIVE snails." Upon consuming each snack, "the frog grows a little bit bigger." After he has reached massive proportions, he is suddenly startled when the log he has been resting on develops a pair of yellow eyes and wide jaws. He screams "Gator!" opening his own mouth so wide that the creatures he has eaten are able to escape from his crowded stomach. The countdown is from five to one as the frog shrinks back to his normal size. Happily, the gator loses interest and swims away, because "the itty-bitty frog/isn't big enough to chomp." This gastronomic adventure is told in catchy rhyming verse, complemented by soft, dreamy watercolors that perfectly re-create the bog. The illustrations are enhanced by humorous details, including a flea circus set up in the background, the frog's jaunty sun hat, and the expressive faces of the swamp creatures crammed into the frog's belly. Reminiscent of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," this quirky counting book makes a fine companion to similar titles such as Marilyn Singer's Quiet Night (Clarion, 2002) and Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Philomel, 1969).-Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Wilson's blend of early learning concepts, humor, and wordplay make for a jaunty read-aloud."

— "Publishers Weekly", starred review

Karma Wilson
Karma Wilson is the bestselling author of several picture books, including the Bear Books series; Where Is Home, Little Pip?; and A Dog Named Doug. Karma lives in Montana.

Jane Chapman is the illustrator of over one hundred books for children, including Dilly Duckling by Claire Freedman and I Love My Mama by Peter Kavanagh, as well as Karma Wilson's Bear Books series and Mortimer's Christmas Manger. She lives with her family in Dorset, England. Visit Jane at JaneKChapman.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781416927273
Lexile Measure
590
Guided Reading Level
O
Publisher
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date
February 01, 2007
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV002120 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Frogs & Toads
JUV009030 - Juvenile Fiction | Concepts | Counting & Numbers
Library of Congress categories
Insects
Frogs
Stories in rhyme
Alligators
Texas 2x2 Reading List
Recommended 2004 - 2004
South Carolina Childrens, Junior and Young Adult Book Award
Nominee 2006 - 2007

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