The Pros & Cons of Being a Frog
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
“This celebration of differences displays great respect for readers' intelligence and yields more with each reading. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Two shy kids discover the power of friendship in this charming picture book that celebrates being different.
A boy likes to dress as a cat, but his best friend’s dog objects. What will he dress as now? A giraffe? A fox? A shark? When his best friend, Camille, suggests a frog, they work together to make the frog costume…until Camille runs out of patience. So the boy makes a list of the pros and cons of being a frog:
Pros:
1. My friend Camille gave me the idea
2. I’m less likely to be chased by a dog
3. Being in a frog costume makes me feel brave
Cons:
1. Not everyone loves wearing a frog costume as much as me
2. If you start getting bossy about your frog costume then your friend will get up and leave
3. A frog is NOT a solitary creature so it is no fun for a frog if his friend gets up and leaves
Luckily, he won’t have to choose, because true friendship means accepting each other’s differences: he can be himself and have his friend Camille.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The boy who narrates this picture book, originally published in Australia in 2012, says that his friend Camille loves math so much that "some days she only talks in numbers." He also knows that when she starts reciting her six times tables, "it's time for a snack." Camille knows him well, too she's the one who suggested he trade in his cat costume (which attracted unwelcome canine attention) for a frog costume. He wants to make one for Camille, too, but their measuring session grows tense "Stop wriggling!" the boy shouts and she walks out. The boy makes a thoughtful list of the relevant facts ("Not everyone loves wearing a frog costume as much as I do") before finding Camille to apologize. DeGennaro's softly tinted drawings render the children as bashful figures surrounded by the things they think most about. The boy's costume-making and Camille's fondness for math defy gender stereotypes, while Camille's quirks are typical of children whose intellectual abilities outstrip their social skills. Their mutual recognition of each other's gifts and habits should be a welcome example for children forging their own friendships. Ages 4 8.
