Wendy Pfeffer describes the amazing metamorphosis from tiny, jellylike egg, to little fishy tadpole, to great big bullfrog. Holly Keller has created the archetypal frog pond and we see it through the seasons as the tadpoles grow legs and lungs and eventually hop onto land: bullfrogs at last. "Well-designed ink drawings washed with soft-toned watercolors stretch across the double-page spreads, showing the action above and below water level. . . .an attractive, general introduction."—BL. 1994 "Pick of the Lists" (ABA)
Best Children's Science Books, 1994 (Science Books and Films) |
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24 of 24 found the following review helpful:
 Did You Know Bullfrog Tadpole's Hibernate? - a review of "From Tadpole to Frog"May 14, 2007
By Pam Tee
"mom,wife,fur-mom,book-blogger"
This is a nice book with attractive artwork that describes the two-year life cycle of the American Bullfrog. As a Stage One book "From Tadpole to Frog" uses simple sentences and concepts that are appropriate for toddlers, preschoolers, and young children up to about 8 or 9 years of age.
Besides a description of the Bullfrog lifecycle, and the 'where Bullfrogs can be found' map, there are pictures with brief descriptions of 5 other frogs, including the Leopard, Pickerel, Wood, Spring Peeper, and Gray Tree frogs.
Four Stars. Good artwork on every page. The color runs from edge to edge. Okay Read-aloud. The Bullfrog is interesting as even the tadpoles hibernate for one year. Nothing objectionable in my opinion; although I should note above that there is a brief mention of reproduction. [I mention this as some parents have concerns and have told me they appreciate such notes.] The book, in any case, says the following about frog reproduction:
At night you hear "Ba-ra-rooom... ba-ra-
room... ba-ra-rooom...". The males are calling
to their mates.
The female hear the call.
The male hugs his mate. He fertilizes her eggs as
she lays them in the water. Thousands of soft
jelly-covered eggs cling together in the cool water.
The artwork shows the frogs hugging, and neither art nor wordage was inappropriate or graphic, in my opinion. Certainly my children didn't think anything of it.
The AR reading level is given as 1.6 which means this is a book for a child in the second half of the first grade. While professionally assessed, this mom thinks quite a few first graders will need some help because of the vocabulary. More difficult words include: hibernate, thousands, whistle, creatures, stretching, fertilizes, speckled, and capture. Words they might not be familiar with are: mate, female, male, breathe, gills, and cling.
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
Another Great Kids' BookMar 27, 2003
By H. Row
"in1ear"
This is another great STAGE 1 book in the "Let's Read & Find Out" Science Series. The STAGE 1 Series books are written for preschool and kindergarten-age kids (age 3 to 6) about basic science concepts.
This book has 32 pages of nice illustrations (artwork NOT photography) to help the words tell about the developmental stages of frogs. Some children's books miss the fact of who their target audience is. The "Let's Read & Find Out" books consistently keep subject matter easily understood using age appropriate vocabulary and keep a child interested at the same time.
We recently bought a home science frog growing kit. This book is perfect read along material to show my five year old son what to anticipate in coming weeks. The books are written for the reading ability of an "average" 3 year old. Older kids may very well get bored with the simple reading in this book. But, they should find the information about frogs fascinating, especially if they are participating in growing some at home or in class! Remember how much fun frog eggs and tadpoles were as a kid? We have several books in this series and are pleased that our son enjoys them so much.
John Row
13 of 15 found the following review helpful:
very goodApr 18, 2000
This book is very appropriate for any young one learning about frogs. My nephew has learned alot from this book about where frogs come from. The pictures are real and not drawings which I like.
Wonderful introduction to the metamorphosis of a tadpoleSep 10, 2011
By Z Hayes
Life is indeed miraculous and beautiful and for little ones who are just beginning to learn about the wonders of metamorphosis in nature, this is an excellent introduction. The simple yet informative text by Wendy Pfeffer is enhanced by the beautiful, subtle hues in the watercolor illustrations of Holly Keller. My 6.5-year-old loved reading about the jelly-coated frogs' eggs, which in turn hatch into tadpoles, and of the amazing transformation that changes the tadpoles into frogs.
This fun and educational Let's Read And Find Out Science Series is highly recommended for preschool - early elementary aged kids.
Excellent bookJul 20, 2010
By Debra L Cole
We enjoyed this book immensely, as we read how a tadpole becomes a hoppy frog!!
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