What a Party!
PreSchool-Grade 1—Froggie stands in for the quintessential overexcited child in this companion toToo Many Frogs!(Philomel, 2005). He loves sleeping in his own special hut by the pond, but on his grandfather's birthday, he eagerly wakes up and heads for the celebration. He quickly makes a costume, a stage, and programs so that he can give his present to Grandpa-a performance of his favorite song. When the party ends, Froggie doesn't want to leave. His friend Rabbit plays the part of the patient parent, taking him home and reading him a story. Finally settling down, he reminisces about his wonderful day. The colorful multimedia illustrations range from full-bleed spreads to spot art, which adds movement and visual interest to the pages. While the spotted frogs are appealing, Rabbit, who is blue and rather odd looking with an elongated forehead and fluffy white mustache, is a bit off-putting. Nevertheless, youngsters will empathize with Froggie's feelings. The fact that Froggie, who seems so clearly to be a preschooler, apparently lives alone is a bit jarring. However, the rhythmic, repetitive refrain of his song will work well for audience participation, and both intergenerational and birthday stories are always in demand.—Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CTCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.