Description
Guiberson, who teamed up with Spirin for the picture book Life in the Boreal Forest (2009), has written many science picture books. Here she introduces 11 frogs from around the world. Each appears on a double-page spread that includes a large, beautiful illustration and a paragraph of information mentioning the frog’s song and something unique about its species. For instance, the Great Plains narrow-mouthed toad shares a tarantula’s burrow and keeps it free of insects, while the Darwin’s frog’s tadpoles develop in their father’s vocal sac for seven weeks before they emerge from his mouth as froglets. An appended page, “Frogs in Trouble,” comments on environmental problems threatening the survival of frogs and affecting humans as well. While the main frog in each illustration is usually clearly delineated, other elements of the picture sometimes look hazy or misty, leaving viewers to wonder whether they represent things mentioned in the text or decorative parts of the scenes. Still, the fascinating facts and impressive tempera, watercolour, and pencil illustrations make this a distinctive introduction to frogs. Grades K-3. –Carolyn Phelan
