Tadpoles - Hardcover

James, Betsy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525461973 ISBN 13: 9780525461975

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 1999

Synopsis

Molly likes her tadpoles better than her baby brother Davey but admires Davey's growth over a period of several months and compares it to the development of her tadpoles

About this title

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-This picture book combines an enlightening science lesson with a story about a sibling relationship. Molly's baby brother yells, smells, and drools but the real problem is that he takes Ma's attention away from Molly. She finds some frog eggs at the pond, and her mother suggests that she scoop up a batch to take home. Ma explains a frog's stages of development, comparing the process to Davey's growth patterns. At home, Molly places the eggs in a fishbowl and cares for them. During the summer, they change from tadpoles to frogs and Davey develops from a crawling baby to a walking toddler. Finally, it is time for Molly to return the frogs to their pond and she reluctantly lets them go. James perfectly captures the child's moods and movements in the brightly colored illustrations, creating facial expressions with just a few simple lines. Objects are colored in with hatch marks and outlined in a darker shade, giving the pictures a textured, shimmery quality. While the artwork focuses on the human characters, smaller insets painted in a more realistic style show the frogs' growth. The last page provides more information about these animals and their development. An excellent story for one-on-one sharing, and a book of real substance for transitional readers.
Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FL
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

In one part biology lesson and one part tender drama, James (Flashlight, 1997, etc.) turns to the animal kingdom to illuminate the human condition. At the pond, Molly, struggling with her ambivalent feelings toward Davey, declares that she would ``rather have a frog than a brother.'' Upon discovering some frog eggs, Molly and her mother decide to nurture them at home until they are old enough to return to the pond. James skillfully entwines the tadpoles' development with Davey's, drawing a correlation between the two as the tadpoles grow legs and and the boy learns to walk. The stirring conclusion of the frogs' release by a reluctant Molly neatly coincides with a major milestone in Davey's development, giving her and readers new perspective on the cycle of life. Gaily colored illustrations reflect the lively tone of the tale; close-ups depict the progression from frog egg to full-grown frog. The engaging story with its universal theme of an older sibling adjusting to a redefined family structure captures interest while offering a tantalizing introduction to the complex and absorbing world of science. (Picture book. 3-7) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0525461973
• ISBN 13: 9780525461975
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32