The Frog House

The Frog House is an amusing story that is enjoyable for both the older child-reader and the younger child-listener. All ages will be intrigued by the delightful frog and his use of 'squatter's rights' to maintain residence in his new-found home.

"The Frog House" is a refreshing story. The voice of the author is sincere and creates a feeling of innocenece. The story couldn't be any sweeter making one want to befriend all the animal characters. My children love the book and it gives them a very homey feeling when we read it.

With fishery and wildlife science as his main interests, Mark Taylor draws upon an actual experience to pen his first book for children. A red birdhouse built in the shape of an apple was once given to his family. In his story a family puts a bird house in a tree - a very special birdhouse "made to look like a big, ripe red apple." As a little green tree frog watched he was amazed that people put an apple on a tree rather than taking one off to eat. His curiosity got the best of him. When he climbed around to look at the apple he found that it had a hole and was made of wood. So, he popped inside and promptly set up housekeeping. The story's narrative involves the mistakes other animals make when they, too, spy the red apple. A robin comes along and starts pecking on it for worms, and a crow tries to take it to his nest. Young readers can be assured that all ends happily when a beautiful female tree frog sees the house and considers it the best house she has ever seen. Barbara Garrison's folk art illustrations add to the story's naturalness. - Gail Cooke

My grandchildren loved this story and the illustrations. The especially liked the idea that a frog could actually live in a house. The visitors to the frog house were all charmingly portrayed.