From
Bogey Bear
Learning to read means getting ready to recognize the sounds in words.
Young children benefit playing with words - real ones or make believe.
The "Froggy" books by Jonathan London are great for this. They use
repetition and phonetically spelled sounds to get children involved.
When you read these books to children, you can let them help you tell
the story - they will love it. My favorite is "Let's Go Froggy",
but all of the book in this series are fun and are written in the same
snappy style that lets children play with the sounds of our language.
About the Book
A read-aloud story featuring bright, full-color illustrations presents
the amusing tale of Froggy as he prepares, plans, and packs for a day of
picnicking with father.
From Publishers Weekly
This inferior sequel to London and Remkiewicz's Froggy Gets Dressed
finds main character Froggy waking up on a sunny spring morning; while
the first Froggy tale (about the green amphibian's plans for a snowy
day) has an air of spontaneity, this book's gaiety seems forced. This
time, Froggy's dad suggests a bicycle trip and mentions some things to
bring along--a bike helmet, a butterfly net, a ball. Unsurprisingly,
Junior has misplaced his gear, and a familiar parent/child exchange
recurs each time Froggy initiates a search: " 'I don't know where it
is!' said Froggy. 'It's wherever you left it!' said Frog Sr.."
The mildly humorous forgetfulness becomes repetitious; even the onomatopoeia ("flop flop flop" to imitate the sound of Froggy walking), one of the highlights of the previous book, seems excessive. On the other hand, Remkiewicz's illustrations are as punchy as ever, and his exaggeratedly expressive characters are almost infectiously eager. Ages 2-6.
Children's BOMC main selection. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-A fun-for-all, tongue-tangling, giggle-getting,
"flap," "bonk," "slam" of a rousing read-aloud. Froggy and his father
prepare for a bike outing and picnic. Froggy says, "'I don't know where
it is!'" about each item, and his father replies, "'It's wherever you
left it!'" After much searching, complete with sound effects, the pair
are too hungry to proceed, so they have their picnic on the patio, and
then set off on their bicycles. Spirited, bright watercolor
illustrations drip with froggy greenness and the background is awash
with wonderfully intense, saturated tones and accent colors that have a
neon brightness.
Cartoon frogs in flipper-shaped sneakers pedal off into the sunset with their helmets securely in place. Rich with opportunities for audience participation, Let's Go, Froggy! should be a story-time favorite with innumerable theme possibilities.
Jody McCoy, Casady School, Oklahoma City Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc
About the Author
Jonathan London is a poet and the author of a number of picture books
including the Froggy Series. He lives with his wife and two sons in
Graton, California. Frank Remkiewicz has illustrated posters, greeting
cards, the Animal Crackers box and numerous books for children. He lives
on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife and three daughters.
About the Illustrator
Author and illustrator Frank Remkiewicz has
illustrated children's books by many authors, including Alma Flor Ada
and Betsy Byars. His self-illustrated works have met with positive
critical reception, but he is perhaps best known as the illustrator for
the popular "Horrible Harry" the "Froggy" series, written by Jonathan
London. Remkiewicz's drawings have been described by Diane Roback of
Publishers Weekly
as "bold swatches of color crisply outlined.