Frog and Friends

Gr 1—2—This clever beginning reader is divided into three chapters. Frog and his friends tackle an unsolved mystery involving a balloon (or possibly a hippopotamus egg), discover the amazing cycle of regifting, and learn the social graces for managing uninvited houseguests. Repetition, white space, and a large font help prepare children for tackling a smattering of more challenging vocabulary. Bright cartoon illustrations provide some picture clues. Readers will enjoy feeling superior to Frog and his friends, who never manage to identify the orange balloon that lands in the pond. The story comes full circle in the third chapter when a hippopotamus actually does visit the pond and Frog worries that it has come for its egg—which they accidentally killed (popped). A fun addition to early-reader sections.—Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA