Finklehopper Frog ANNOTATION
Finkelhopper Frog's jogging style and wild jogging suit meet with criticism until he runs into Ruby Rabbit.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Before becoming a writer, Irene Livingston taught school and raised three talented daughters. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.Brian Lies has illustrated more than a dozen children's books, including the Flatfoot Fox series and See the Yak Yak. He and his wife live in Duxbury, Massachusetts, with their daughter and a cat named Oddjob.
SYNOPSIS
Jogging is the thing to do in town, and Finklehopper Frog is eager to join in. To mark the occasion, Finkle finds an extra-special jogging suit then hits the road.He hippied and he hoppied and he sang a sweet ker-chog,until he started wondering is THIS the way to jog? Finklehopper's doubts grow until one smart bunny helps Finkle discover that being part of the crowd doesn't mean casting aside your own froggy style. Catchy, rhythmic prose and peppy vernacular are paired with bright illustrations of a distinctive animal community in what is sure to become an all-time read-aloud favorite.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Everyone else is out jogging, Finklehopper Frog notices one morning, and he decides to join in: "I will buy a jogging suit./ I'll get myself a jazzy one,/ a dandy one, a beaut!" As he struggles to transform his hop into a jog, the other animals snicker at his contortions and his eye-popping apparel. "Didja get it at a sale?" sneers Yowlereen, a catty feline jogger. Although hurt, the frog perseveres and befriends a rabbit-a fellow hopper-who praises his suit and his moves: "Keep on doing/ what you always do,/ cause hopping is the way to go,/ the perfect way for you." Except for a peculiarly rhymeless ending, Livingston's rhythms echo Finklehopper's bounce and blithe spirit, and encourage youngsters to be happy with their own best efforts. Lies's (Hamlet and the Magnificent Sandcastle) bright, crisp acrylics boost the energy level, illustrating the animals with rib-tickling human trappings, among them a frog in a fez, a worm on a pogo stick, a tadpole being pushed in a glass tank stroller. Framing this pro-fitness story, the endpapers display Finklehopper stretching out, and a title page shows the hero reading a newspaper headlined: "Exercise Found to Promote Hoppiness." Ages 3-7. (May) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Laura Hummel
Finklehopper noticed that all the animal creatures were jogging so he decided to join them. The frog hopped over to Mrs. Chimpanzee's to buy a wild and snazzy outfit. "She reached beneath the counter/ and came up with something wild-/ a suit with pink and purple dots!/ And Finklehopper smiled." Unfortunately, the glee is short-lived. The frog can not jog properly and he looks ridiculous in the suit, according to some animals that laugh as they pass him. "Now Finkle's heart was heavy,/ but he hoped it did not show./ He bopped along, determined/ he would never let them know." Finklehopper Frog is then saved by a hopping rabbit and comes to the realization that his way is special for him, and everyone has to travel according to his or her own means. The message is a good one to share with children, who will be delighted by vibrantly colored paintings that seem to leap off the page. Hip-hop jingles are coupled with entertaining animal expressions and antics. 2003, Tricycle Press,
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1-Finklehopper Frog wants to join the exercise crowd. Dressed in his new jogging suit that's almost electric with its brightly colored stripes and circles, he "hippied and he hoppied," which makes the other animals laugh at him. Elephants carry water bottles, bats wear running shoes, and snakes sport sweatbands. Only Ruby Rabbit points out that Finklehopper's style suits him just fine, and he hops along with his usual frog expertise. Lies entertains with a full range of cartoon expressions and strict attention to the smallest details in the lives (and jogging attire) of more than 30 animals. With rhyming verse, Livingston points out the strengths of individuality and diversity. Large-font text overlays full-page art done in acrylic paint, creating an entertaining read-aloud.-Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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