The Frog Principal - Hardcover

Calmenson, Stephanie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0590370707 ISBN 13: 9780590370707

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2001

Synopsis

When principal Mr. Bundy is accidentally turned into a frog by a visiting magician, the students of P.S. 88 are quite disgruntled, especially when he starts swimming in the kindergarten sink and eating students' fly collections, in a hilarious picture book filled with zany illustrations.

About this title

Reviews

K-Gr 3-Teachers and students all agree that Mr. Bundy is the best principal that a school could ever have. He thinks a special magic show would be a nice addition to an upcoming assembly and he finds just the right magician. However, in a brief demonstration of some educational tricks, Marty Q. Marvel accidentally turns Mr. Bundy into a frog and can't remember how to restore him to his former self. The creature takes a few leaps to a nearby pond and finds it delightful, especially the flies that are buzzing around-very tasty. When a student hits a baseball into the water and he and a couple of his buddies come to retrieve it, Mr. Bundy makes them a deal: he'll get their ball if he can be principal. They are quite surprised that the frog can talk-and how can it be their principal? Crossing their fingers, the kids make the promise and then race off with their ball. In the end, all is set to rights, and the last picture provides a surprise and a giggle. Calmenson's version of "The Frog Prince" takes many liberties with the original tale, adding quirky humor and delightful situations. Brunkus's watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations accentuate the hilarity of this spoof on the traditional fairy tale. Read aloud or alone, this book is sure to get its share of chuckles.

Patti Gonzales, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4-7. The classic story of "The Frog Prince" is given new life when a bumbling magician auditioning for a school assembly accidentally turns Mr. Bundy, principal of P.S. 88 (and star of another Calmenson and Brunkus fairy-tale update, The Principal's New Clothes), into a frog. But Mr. Bundy doesn't let this setback stop him from carrying on his principal's duties. "Even though I'm small, green, and slimy, I can still be a good principal, can't I?" Eventually Mr. Bundy becomes his old self again, but not before he joins some students in a game of leapfrog, startles the kindergartners by taking a dip in a sinkful of water, and uses his long, quick tongue to gobble up a student's science project--a tasty bug collection. The silly plot is very believably written, and Brunkus' expressive watercolor-and-colored pencil illustrations add to the fun with crisp, colorful scenes depicting all the outrageous antics. This would be a natural choice for all those principals who routinely visit primary-grade classrooms for a quick read-aloud. Lauren Peterson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0590370707
• ISBN 13: 9780590370707
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Brunkus Denise
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32