Hi everyone, it’s me, Finley! Since my co-host is so busy with exams this week, I decided to help her out and do the latest book review. I’ve got a super picture book for you that’s all about frogs and toads. It’s called The Frogs And Toads All Sang and it was written and illustrated by well-known Caldecott Medalist Arnold Lobel. It was published in 2009 by Hopper, oops, I mean HarperCollins Publishers. Arnold Lobel’s daughter, Adrianne Lobel, did the color for this wonderful book. What makes this book extra-special is the fact that Adrianne discovered this rhyming collection of stories after her father’s death. The stories are all about-you guessed it-frogs and toads, which is a subject I am particularly fond of. Arnold Lobel’s artistic style is easily recognized and young readers will enjoy the sweet and silly poems. I sure did! If you know my story, about my fur coat and my best friend Chelsey, then you’ll understand why I especially like the one called “A Toad Was Feeling…”. Read it below and then go out and find the book to read the rest of the wonderful short stories. (By the way, you can read my story too. There’s a link to it in the sidebar.)

A toad was feeling

Sad and grumpy

Because his skin

Was rough and lumpy.

“My skin is bad,”

Said he. “I’ll hide it.”

He bought a coat

And jumped inside it.

“And now,” he said,

“I do not worry….

Outside I’m nicely

Soft and furry.”

My skin is not rough and lumpy like the toad in the poem above. I’m a frog. I have smooth skin. But I do look fine in a coat. Well, I hope you all enjoyed my review. Until next time, keep on hoppin’ (and reading)!

Illustration copyright 2008 by Bill Megenhardt