Still Waiting

"...writing picture books seems to be about waiting. A bit of planting and watering, but mostly waiting."
— Penny Morrison*

KidsStamps Frog and Toad bookplate y Arnold Lobel
Courtesy Tera Peak

*Via Tara Lazar's Writing For Kids While Raising Them

A Knot of Toads

I have hardly mentioned chapter books in any previous post, so I thought it time to highlight a few.

Newberry Award winner,
Frog and Toad Together
by Arnold Lobel

No childhood would be complete without the Frog and Toad series by Arnold Lobel.  Days With Frog and Toad is the first in this lyrical series of adventures.  In simple but engaging language, Lobel gets us to smile as these two friends  fight and laugh their way through everyday activities:  planting a garden, taking a ride, flying a kite.  These books are an absolute must for the illustrations alone.  Especially geared to readers grade 1-3, but appropriate for toddlers to adults.

Garden State
Children's Book Award
winner, by
Jane Yolen

Master storyteller Jane Yolen is better known for her picture books or middle grade novels, than for her easy to read chapter books.  Nonetheless, the Commander Toad series for readers 6-9, has equal appeal. Bruce Degen's humorous characterizations of the crew of the Star Warts and the galactic oddities they encounter are the perfect compliment to the writing.  Commander Toad books are a sure-fire way to turn reluctant readers into bookworms.

On an interesting aside, Bruce Degen lists Arnold Lobel as an early influence on his work.

For more amphibian adventures, check out Tuesday by David Wiesner.

And for a challenging quiz, test your knowledge at FunTrivia: Animal groupings with a twist.