Fabulous Frogs

by Martin Jenkins, Tim Hopgood (Illustrator)

Overview

There are so many kinds of frogs in the world — more than 5,000! — and all of them are fabulous.

Huge frogs, tiny frogs, hairy frogs, and flying frogs hop through the pages of this colorful nonfiction book. Discover the Goliath frog, biggest in the world, and the Darwin’s frog, which has a pointy nose and holds its tadpoles in its mouth until they are big enough to care for themselves. Learn why some frogs are brightly colored, and which one can bury itself in the desert until rain comes. Curious minds will jump at the chance to explore all kinds of frogs, from the most exotic to the greenish-brown specimens in their own backyards.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763681005
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	02/23/2016
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Martin Jenkins is the author of several nonfiction books for young readers, including Can We Save the Tiger?, illustrated by Vicky White, and The Emperor’s Egg, illustrated by Jane Chapman. Martin Jenkins lives in Cambridge, England.

Tim Hopgood is an award-winning illustrator whose work has been featured in magazines such as Esquire, GQ, and Harper’s. He lives in York, England.

Editorial Reviews

11/16/2015
Jenkins (The History of Money) presents a light, off-handed overview of species of frogs from around the world, accompanied by vivid mixed-media illustrations from Hopgood (Hooray for Hoppy!). The main text explores the outstanding features of roughly a dozen frogs (“This one is called a flying frog, although it can’t really fly”), while supplemental sentences give additional details about the amphibians. Hopgood’s compositions vary in their use of space, scale, and style: thumbnail-size frogs from Papua New Guinea, the smallest known to exist, dot one white spread (and go unnamed, perhaps because Paedophryne amauensis is a mouthful), while Australia’s striped rocket frog leaps from one spread to the next, mid-introduction. Ages 5–8. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

01/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—Jenkins and Hopgood team up to share their zeal for frogs in this attractively packaged showcase of different species. Western Africa's goliath frog, Australia's striped rocket frog, and Southeast Asia's flying frog are among the animals represented in this worthy informational picture book. A concise introduction on behavior and development precedes the title page. Each page features large, simple, though at times repetitive, narrative, as well as text rendered in a smaller font that goes into slightly more detail and eye-popping mixed-media artwork. Hopgood's visuals are populated with active frogs. Backgrounds are blue, green, orange, and yellow; a few illustrations include environmental details such as branches and leaves. Clusters of eggs and swimming tadpoles fill the endpapers and add to the appeal. Those looking for more information on these animals can turn to Jim Arnosky's All About Frogs (Scholastic, 2002), Peter Murray's Frogs (Child's World, 2007), or Seymour Simon's Frogs (HarperCollins, 2015), which feature color photos and are aimed at slightly older students. VERDICT A strong choice for group storytimes or science lessons, this volume will spark children's interest.—Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH

School Library Journal

2015-11-03
An overview of the fantastic variety found among the over 5,000 frog species of the world. Jenkins opens with a pre-copyright page summary of frog facts: they are carnivores, most of whom hop or jump, that do some of their breathing through their skin and are mostly found where it is warm and damp; almost all lay eggs and go through a tadpole stage (the word "metamorphosis" is not used). The primary text goes on to point out some of the tremendous variety in the genus in text that both echoes the topic (the goliath frog's page says simply "This frog is huge (for a frog)," and the word "huge" is large on the page) and splits between simple sentences for younger audiences and a smaller-font paragraph of further info for older listeners. Other attributes highlighted include miniscule size, a strange nose, ability to jump far quickly, noisy, and "hairiness," among others. Other frogs are notable for their actions—the male Darwin's frog keeps its babies in a pouch in its throat, for example. Hopgood's mixed-media artwork is rich in greens and browns and full of splattery textures, especially the frogs. Most frog books focus on life cycle; this one nicely highlights diversity instead. (Nonfiction picture book 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews

Hopgood's mixed-media artwork is rich in greens and browns and full of splattery textures, especially the frogs. Most frog books focus on life cycle; this one nicely highlights diversity instead.
—Kirkus Reviews

Unique to Jenkins and Hopgood’s collaboration is the book’s design. Wonderfully sprinkled throughout, Hopgood’s vibrant, eye-catching mixed-media renditions of frogs in mottled, earthy hues aptly complement Jenkins’ accompanying narrative. Ideal for a wide range of early elementary students.
—Booklist

Jenkins (The History of Money) presents a light...overview of species of frogs from around the world, accompanied by vivid mixed-media illustrations from Hopgood (Hooray for Hoppy!).
—Publishers Weekly

A strong choice for group storytimes or science lessons, this volume will spark children’s interest.
—School Library Journal

Jenkins shares his fascination with the many sizes, shapes, and features of frogs in this survey of frog species...Hopgood’s colorful, creative mixed-media illustrations of frogs, sometimes accompanied by hints of the surrounding environment, sometimes isolated on a white background, are technically precise in representing the main features of each species yet artistic in the rendering of textures and anatomical details.
—The Horn Book

This is a beautifully illustrated non-fiction book with great scientific information...the frogs seem to jump right off the page. I have not been so excited over a book in some time. Readers will love reading this easy non-fiction book, and teachers could use it for a unit on amphibians. Index. Website.
—School Library Connection

From the Publisher