Joining his friends during a visit to the pumpkin patch, Froggy exuberantly picks a pumpkin in the hopes of carving a jack-o’-lantern and making a pumpkin pie, before a pumpkin-smashing tumble causes him to receive a prize for the ugliest pumpkin. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)
On a class trip to the pumpkin patch, Froggy exuberantly picks a pumpkin in hopes of carving a jack-o'-lantern, making a pumpkin pie, and possibly winning a prize in his classs pumpkin-picking contest. - (Baker & Taylor)
Froggy and friends enjoy a back-to-school ritual: a trip to the pumpkin patch.
Froggy can't wait to pick a pumpkin. He plans to carve a jack-o'-lantern and make a pumpkin pie. Prizes are given for the biggest, smallest, and prettiest pumpkin, but when Froggy trips and smashes his pumpkin, he takes home a special prize--for the ugliest pumpkin! - (Penguin Putnam)
Jonathan London is the creator of more than 20 books about the lovable and enduringly popular character Froggy. He is also a poet and a novelist. He burst on the children's book scene in 1992 with the publication of three picture books. Since then he has published over 100 picture books, including the Froggy series and the young adult novel Where's Home? Jonathan London started writing poetry in his late teens. Although he received a Masters Degree in Social Sciences and never formally studied literature or creative writing, he began to consider himself a "writer" about the time he graduated from college. After college, he became a dancer in a modern dance company and worked at numerous low-paying jobs as a laborer or counselor. However, during this 20-year period, London continued to write. He wrote poems and short stories for adults, earning next to nothing despite being published in many literary magazines. "It wasn't until I had kids of my own that I became a writer for children," he explains. "It all started with telling them stories when they were very young. I wrote down one of these stories, and it became The Owl Who Became the Moon, my first picture book sale (though it was my fourth to appear in print). Now I am finally making a living as a writer. A dream come true!" Born a "Navy brat" in Brooklyn, New York, London was raised on naval stations throughout the US and Puerto Rico. Today he lives with his wife, Maureen, and their two sons, Aaron and Sean, in rural Northern California, where they like to backpack in the summer, play in the snow in winter, and dance all year around.
Frank Remkiewicz is an award-winning illustrator and author of more than 100 children’s books, including the popular Froggy series by Jonathan London. Prior to his career in publishing, he created art for posters and greeting cards. Remkiewicz lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife, Sylvia Nissley. To learn more, visit remkiewicz.com. - (Penguin Putnam)
Kirkus Reviews
A class trip to the pumpkin patch is enlivened by a contest to identify and acquire the biggest, smallest, prettiest, ugliest, and best all-around pumpkins. Froggy's excited. So excited he makes up a song and teaches it to his friends: "Pumpkins, pumpkins, / muffins and pie! / Pumpkin faces / lighting the sky!" (Readers can sing along for the three reiterations, but they'll have to make up the tune.) But while children will clearly understand Froggy's excitement, they will surely call out the unsafe and even mean behaviors exhibited by Froggy and his classmates. On the bus, many students bounce or kneel with no apparent reprimand. When they arrive, Froggy strikes off alone while his classmates await direction from their teacher back on the bus. Travis takes the pumpkin Max had wanted (but couldn't lift) for his own ("Step aside!" he says, though Travis doesn't seem too put out), and Froggy rudely leapfrogs over his classmates to get to his choice. Finally, after Froggy just barely reaches the bus with his large pumpkin, his classmates and even his teacher laugh at him and his embarrassment when he drops it and it smashes. (Froggy is as clumsy as ever in this 28th outing, and frankly, the shtick is getting old.) Froggy gets the award for ugliest pumpkin (though he's shown with an intact one at the end), and all the kids sing on the way home. Remkiewicz's watercolors reflect the text, bringing out and visually expanding on the lack of cooperation among the students. Pick a pumpkin (and a different book) instead. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus 2019 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.
