The Green Frogs: A Korean Folktale

by Yumi Heo

Like most rebellious children, the green frogs in this Korean folktale love to disobey their mother. What-ever she asks them to do, they do the opposite . . . until their bad habit lands them in trouble.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Folk Tales, Asian Literature, Animals, Asia, Mythology

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Yumi Heo (1964-2016) was a children's author and illustrator who was born and raised in Korea, where she studied graphic design. She came to New York City in 1989, and received an MFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts. She llustrated many picture-books for young people, including Father’s Rubber Shoes, The Green Frogs: A Korean Folk Tale, and One Afternoon. She lived for some years in White Plains, New York, with her husband, Steve, and their children. Yumi Heo died in 2016 of cancer.

Reviews

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many folktales from Russia, China, and Africa, but never have I heard a folktale from Korea. While I was searching for some children’s books in the library, I stumbled upon a book called “The Green Frogs.” At first, I thought that this was going to be a comedic story; however, I was awed at how serious yet true this story really is. “The Green Frogs” is a great story about facing the trials that each parent goes through whenever their child misbehaves and the guilty conscious that the child suffers through whenever their parents are gone. Since, this story has many Korean aspects; it is surely to be another classic folktale from around the world.

Yumi Heo does an excellent job at retelling and illustrating the escapades of the two green frogs and their mother. Yumi Heo’s retelling of an ancient Korean folktale has a great moral about the consequences of disobeying your parents as the green frogs regretted the fact that they have caused their mother nothing but grief over the years and the somewhat sad realization that Mother Frog never knew that her sons had listen to her for once in their lives. Yumi Heo’s illustrations are as creative as they are simplistic. The frogs are displayed with rounded heads and large mouths and Heo adds an assortment of plants and flies on the background to give the story a chaotic sense since the two frogs are actually chaotic throughout the entire story.

“The Green Frogs” is a fantastic Korean folktale about the importance of listening to your parents and the reality that a child would face whenever their parent passes away and they spend most of their lives regretting all the horrible acts they have committed against their parent. This book is extremely pleasant to read and is appropriate for children ages four and over, even though this book does discuss the death of a parent and how it has affected to the sons in this story.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[Ellice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this picture book that tells the story of two disobedient young frogs. The illustrations demonstrate the absolute contrariness of youngsters of many species and the frustration of Mother Frog. There's a lot to look at and a lot to laugh at here.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable. That poor Mama Frog, though...

[Ashlea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Green Frogs is a Korean folktale about two frogs that never listened to their mother, whatever she said they would do the opposite. If she said be quiet, they would croak loudly, if she said don’t get dirty they would play in the mud. This went on for years and years and finally the mother frog got sick and knew she was going to die. She wanted to be buried on the sunny side of the hill so she told her sons to bury her in the shade by the stream. Once she died, her sons felt bad for never listening to their mother so they decided they should bury her by the stream. It rained many day and nights and the stream started overflowing, they were worried their mother’s grave was going to wash away, so they sat by the stream and cried GAE GUL! GAE GUL! So that is way when it rain, green frogs cry.

Activity #1- Have students research the Korean culture. Then compare and contrast Korean culture to American culture. Have student make a Venn Diagram.

Activity #2- Discuss folktales. Have students write characteristics of a folktale, what is a folktale, how do they know when it’s a folktale. Have them write an essay on folktales.

[Relyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upon first reading of this book, I really didn't like it. The ending was a bit disappointing. But, as I kept thinking, it grew on me and the ending became funny and a great lesson. Fun.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious in a twisted kind of way. Also loved the illustrations.

[Janaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a folklore for children age 7-12 years old or 3rd to 8th grade. A Korean folktale about two green frogs who always did the opposite of what their mother said. The last page explains that this is why green frogs cry out when it rain. On her dying bed their mother ask them to bury her in shade by the stream but she really wanted to be buried on the sunny side of the hill. Expecting her children not to listen and do the opposite like so many times before her dying wish back fires where her children decide to listen for once and their lives. I give this story 4 stars while the ending of the story is very sad this story teach some valuable lessons. This is my first hearing of or reading this story but I am anxious to have my 9 year old and 12 year old sons read this story. Some lessons this story teach is you should listen to your parents. You should always want to do good because sometimes it’s too late to try. This story introduce death and the reality that children face whenever their parents pass away.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book expresses that it is a folktale, it also has some elements similar to a fable. The characters were personified animals with a lesson to tell.

I stumbled across this book in a local bookstore and thought it would be fun to share with my students. I didn't pre-read before sharing, so I was just as shocked as they were when it took an unexpected turn. Even still, I found this story to be extremely enjoyable. The plot was fun and the choices the characters made were quite typical. Not to mention, I loved the fact that the illustrations seemed to be reminiscent of Korean culture from the clothes the mother wore to the colors and extra details within the pictures. I also loved giving my students the lesson about how they should be obedient at all times.

Overall, I felt that this was a lovely change of pace and I am curious to find more translated folktales from other cultures!

[Brittney Noyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was unlike any other book that I've read before. It is a Korean folktale about 2 green frogs that disobey their mother. Whenever she tells them to do something, they do the opposite. When she dies, they obey her, but the mother was not expecting this so she was buried by the river bank. When it rains, her grave washes away and they cry, so that is why green frogs cry when it rains. A message to take away from this story could be that you should listen to other people and respect your parents. I feel like this book would be for older grades, maybe 4rth-6th. The only thing that I thought was odd was that it had a very abrupt ending. I could use this in the classroom when I talk about different cultures or folktales. I could have my students look up another folktale or look up the Korean culture.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about two disobedient frogs and their exasperated mother. When she is on her deathbed, she tells her children to bury her in the shade by the stream, when really she wanted to be buried on the hill in the son. Expecting that her children won't obey her and instead employing reverse psychology, her dying wish backfires when her children decide to obey for once in their lives. When a lot of rain comes and threatens to wash away their mother's grave, they cry GAE GUL repeatedly (presumably the approximation of a frog croak in Korean), in the hope that their mother isn't washed away. The last page reveals that this is why frogs cry out when it rains, and that disobedient children are called "chung-gaeguri,"or green frogs. I joked with my four-year-old that I was going to start calling him a green frog.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate how important folktales, fables, etc are important to a culture and I really like to share as many different ones with students as possible. This one also has a message I had not heard before. The mother has two sons who constantly do the opposite of what she asks them to do. So she decides as she is dying that she will try to tell them the opposite of her wishes so that she will be buried where she wants. Sadly, this is the one time they listen and her grave is washed away. In Korea, if children don't listen to their parents, they are called frogs.

[Nicholas King · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Green Frogs: A Korean Folktale is another book i am not used to reading. This Korean Folktale shows that frogs are being seen as humans with how they talk and act. This is unrealistic, yet detailed and has great illustrations. Sadly, the frog dies at the end of the book. However, the frog's sons bury her by the stream. One message i got from this book is that this is why you see frogs by rivers and streams. Another message this book sends is that you should listen to what your parents want.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Korean folk talk involves frog children's disobedience to their mother, and teaches a lesson about the importance of respecting elders. I found this culturally interesting, but the story seemed rushed, and given that it involves the sudden death of a parent, which is not foreshadowed through the story at all, I doubt that I would ever want to read this for a library storytime, or to children I do not know well.

[Alyssa Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about a mother frog who encourages her kids to get out of bed with food. She wanted her sons to help her clean up after themselves, but she ends up doing all of the work herself. She becomes tired and just wants to rest. The little green frogs are always doing the opposite of what she says and she is tired of it.

[Tarin Cosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a folktale from Korea and reads very different from western folktales. This is about two frogs who don't listen to their mother and in the end they are sad and crying. I thought this book was okay, but the ending was very different from anything I have ever read and I enjoyed that a different culture that was showing.

[Liv Nash · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a fun way to explain why frogs croak by the water when it rains while at the same time, tries to portray a message that you should always listen and understand your mother or guardian. When you don't, you deal with the consequences and it may haunt you for the rest of your life. It is interesting because the story and lesson is very important to Asian cultures.

[Mayra Espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this folk tale as it is something I have not read before. I think this would be a great classroom read-aloud book as it teaches a valuable life lesson and all children can benefit from listening to this amazing tale. It is also a great story to explain why frogs sing and I would love this for a kindergarten class.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Green Frogs: A Korean Folktale (Paperback)
by Yumi Heo
Used as an example of folk tales that relate to non fiction and social norms. Allowing them to have resources for pariqua tales.
The story shows how the frogs sounds not only began, and when you can hear them but how they culturally add to the language of the society. Showing the nature of children and how they are referred to.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll forgive the lack of note, as the author is from Korea. But I, personally, do not like this book at all. I give it two stars because it's different, fresh, and because I do see that it could be enjoyed by some readers.

[Jenna Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book was extremely dramatic, but I think it is something that could be read to young readers to do something first before it is too late. Moral of the story respect your elders and listen and do the first time.

[LaQueena Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Green Frogs is a traditional tale about two frogs that do not obey their mother until the day she died. This book is an awesome book for maybe k-2nd graders. This book can teach children to actually listen to their parents.

[Brenna Shull · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about frogs who didn't listen to their mother. The message of this folktale is to obey your mother or parents. This book is named after children who do not obey their parents. This folktale also flows differently than Western and European folktales.

[Tyne Mather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Korean folktale about two boy frogs who never listened to their mother. A message from this story would be to always listen to your mom/parents. In Korea, they say that kids who don't listen to their parents are called "green frogs".

[Nadina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not a huge fan of the artwork and additionally I felt the pace of the book was much too quick, it felt very rushed, so I was not a huge fan of this story. It had potential but wasn't great in this format.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

i wanted this read to be a keeper, must read, but on the kindle version the text and pictures are so tiny?? hopefully if you read it in a real hand held read it might be different. but when i read it through the kindle version through Kindle Unlimited. almost un-readable??! sad face.

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The frogs love to disobey their mother. They do everything opposite to what she tells them to do. This is a good book about obeying your elders because it teaches them why you should listen.

[Lauren Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book because all children can relate to it since they frequently disobey their parents like the frogs in the book do.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Korean folktale explaining why bad boys are called green frogs. Strange art.

[Ginny Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda depressing Korean folktale about doing what your parents say to do. Illustrations are great, though!

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was not thinking this book would be so serious. I stopped reading aloud to the toddler, but I finished it. I did not love the illustrations, either.