FROGS
By Nic Bishop
Scholastic, 2008
Category: Nonfiction picture book
Nic Bishop’s name on the spine of a book is fast becoming the mark of a must-read for me. There are his “Scientists in the Field” books, of course. And there is SPIDERS, which just last month was awarded a Sibert Honor medal for excellence in children’s nonfiction. And now, there is FROGS. And it is S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G.
The format is the same as for SPIDERS (Is there a whole series planned? Oh, I hope so.). Bold-colored pages and pullouts (sentences visually pulled from the text by changing the font size and color) are superbly coupled with images of frogs … the gleeful leap of a grass frog, the pulsating-on-the-page underside of a glass frog, the wide grin of a satisfied horned frog. Simple backgrounds and incredible lighting give the images an artistic feel, and as a viewer/reader you have no choice but to sit in awe of the unfettered beauty of a frog. The effect is breath-catching.
FROGS got my highest seal of approval: today I bought a copy for me and a copy for my soon-to-be-six nephew. It’s that good.
To read about more great nonfiction for kids, visit today’s Nonfiction Monday roundup at the Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day blog. (The Roundup won’t be up until later in the day.)