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One Frog Sang
Count on these frogs for a luminous read-aloud bursting with lyrical sound play and visual surprises.
On a wet spring night, one big frog sings KA-BLU-URP! Two tiny frogs sing PREEP, PREEP, three young frogs sing RIBBIT, RIBBIT, all the way up to ten frogs who trill PEEP, PEEP as a frog chorus fills the air with grunts and croaks and chirps. The night is resonant until . . . a car splashes down the street and all the frogs, from ten down to one, are hushed! Shirley Parenteau offers a joyfully cacophonous counting-up and counting-down story, vibrantly illustrated by Cynthia Jabar.
On a wet spring night, one big frog sings KA-BLU-URP! Two tiny frogs sing PREEP, PREEP, three young frogs sing RIBBIT, RIBBIT, all the way up to ten frogs who trill PEEP, PEEP as a frog chorus fills the air with grunts and croaks and chirps. The night is resonant until . . . a car splashes down the street and all the frogs, from ten down to one, are hushed! Shirley Parenteau offers a joyfully cacophonous counting-up and counting-down story, vibrantly illustrated by Cynthia Jabar.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published February 27, 2007
4 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Shirley Parenteau
31 books49 followersThis is my second time around as a children's book writer. When my own 3 children were young, I had 8 books published. My children grew up and for a time, I wrote women's fiction. Now I have 6 grandchildren, all girls. I'm writing for children again and loving it!
One of my granddaughter's play with stuffed animals in a bookstore children's area led me to write Bears on Chairs, a picture book published by Candlewick Press. The bears have made friends around the world and are especially popular in translation in Japan where David Walker's adorable illustrations have captivated readers.
Bears on Chairs was followed by Bears in Beds and in 2014 by Bears and a Bath. Illustrator David Walker is currently preparing more adorable bear pictures for a fourth book, Bears and a Birthday.
While I hope to keep writing about these whimsical sweet-natured bears, I'm excited about a new project for older children. My oldest granddaughter when three participated in Hinamatsuri, a festival of dolls in Japan. Online research of the festival led me to the 1926 Friendship Doll Project when American children sent more than 12,000 dolls to children in Japan. I wanted to write about that beautiful hope for friendship between children in two countries. My middle-grade novel, Ship of Dolls, the first in a planned series will be published by Candlewick Press in fall of 2014.
One of my granddaughter's play with stuffed animals in a bookstore children's area led me to write Bears on Chairs, a picture book published by Candlewick Press. The bears have made friends around the world and are especially popular in translation in Japan where David Walker's adorable illustrations have captivated readers.
Bears on Chairs was followed by Bears in Beds and in 2014 by Bears and a Bath. Illustrator David Walker is currently preparing more adorable bear pictures for a fourth book, Bears and a Birthday.
While I hope to keep writing about these whimsical sweet-natured bears, I'm excited about a new project for older children. My oldest granddaughter when three participated in Hinamatsuri, a festival of dolls in Japan. Online research of the festival led me to the 1926 Friendship Doll Project when American children sent more than 12,000 dolls to children in Japan. I wanted to write about that beautiful hope for friendship between children in two countries. My middle-grade novel, Ship of Dolls, the first in a planned series will be published by Candlewick Press in fall of 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 16, 2022
The frogs are making lots of noise when the night falls, with different voices and voice effects. There are frogs on the tree trunk, wishing well, and a birdbath! They were all singing together. When a car passes along them, all of the frogs go away and stopped their singing. Every group eventually hides away, one after the other. After the cars passed and the frogs hid away, everything was still. Then, the frogs started up again, starting with just 1.
I love the sound effects in this book because I think they could be used for many different subjects. There is counting, which could aid in math lessons. Secondly, it includes frogs, the different sounds they make, and their habitat. Lastly, it could aid in teaching kids sensory language and onomatopoeias. I think the illustrations are super cute too, it looks like watercolor. This ties in perfectly because of the wet habitat that the frogs live in. I really enjoyed the story as well, and how the author kept the numbers forwards and backward, the different scenarios would make an amazing and engaging read-aloud.
I love the sound effects in this book because I think they could be used for many different subjects. There is counting, which could aid in math lessons. Secondly, it includes frogs, the different sounds they make, and their habitat. Lastly, it could aid in teaching kids sensory language and onomatopoeias. I think the illustrations are super cute too, it looks like watercolor. This ties in perfectly because of the wet habitat that the frogs live in. I really enjoyed the story as well, and how the author kept the numbers forwards and backward, the different scenarios would make an amazing and engaging read-aloud.
August 25, 2018
This was my favorite library book from L's most recent batch. I have been encouraging her to check out counting and alphabet books lately, and this was a great pick from the counting genre. I'm not even sure what exactly appealed to me about this book. I just think the illustrations are soothing, and I like all the frogs making their different sounds and then jumping away when the car drives by. L enjoyed hearing all of the sounds and counting with me, and she requested this several times during the weeks we had it at home. I think I probably liked it even more than she did, to be honest, but she was a fan, too.
October 15, 2019
This book is basically about frogs that were singing at night and different places. It starts off with one frog till they it reaches ten and then a car drives by and all the frogs start to disappear and then there is a countdown to one frog again. After the car drives by the frogs come back. This main theme of this book is numbers, it is basically teaching children numbers using frogs. It is a good book for children who want to learn numbers and are still just staring. I recommend this books because it is a beginner book for children learning numbers and like animals.
June 1, 2022
I think I would pair this with Coquí in the City to talk about the different sounds animals make. I'd love to see a book about the linguistic differences in language as pertains to animals sounds, which Coqui hits on, but I haven't seen one. If you know of one, I'd love the rec!
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April 25, 20241-2 sentences per page. A counting story – counting to 10 with the different frogs making different frog noises each time. And then counting backwards from 10 once the frogs hear the noise of a car coming down the road.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2019
counting up to 10, then back down, frog noises, pretty cute, a little long for storytime though.
June 5, 2019
Used for frog themed storytime.
All the frogs sing a different tune and counting practice as well!
All the frogs sing a different tune and counting practice as well!
March 10, 2020
Counting up and down with a variety of frogs making a bunch of great noises.
April 7, 2021
This was a solid counting up and down (1-10) storybook. It was fun to read aloud using different sounds for each type/group of frogs.
January 31, 2023
This book has really amazing illustrations. I think this book would be good for young students that are learning how to count because the book counts to ten and then counts down from 10.
April 7, 2023
This is a very silly and informative story. This story has a very fun rhythem to it while also teaching young readers how to count to ten.
January 31, 2025
I liked the counting at the beginning, and the different sounds the frogs make, but the ending sort of felt off the rails.
February 5, 2015
I love all the frog sounds. If I can get these down well enough, I think the preschoolers will enjoy this. I like the pictures in the book as well, and enjoy the part of each set of frogs getting quiet as the car goes by.
3/2/10: I had fun with the sounds, but the kids weren't as into the book by the end.
3/4/10: Taking the suggestion, I had the kids count with me on their fingers as we encountered each new group of frogs--and they loved it! It went very well that I still had them by the end. (It even got the extremely shy girl involved!)
2/2/15: Haven't used this in a long time. Tried it for Movement storytime. We counted the frogs and tried to make their sounds. Worked very well.
3/2/10: I had fun with the sounds, but the kids weren't as into the book by the end.
3/4/10: Taking the suggestion, I had the kids count with me on their fingers as we encountered each new group of frogs--and they loved it! It went very well that I still had them by the end. (It even got the extremely shy girl involved!)
2/2/15: Haven't used this in a long time. Tried it for Movement storytime. We counted the frogs and tried to make their sounds. Worked very well.
May 3, 2015
Every child knows frogs croak but this book shares some of the many kinds of sounds different frogs make! It is also a counting book, where one frog says ker-bloop, two frogs say peep peep and so on. In storytime, I laminated pictures of frogs and called a child up to hold the picture of one frog and then say into the mic "ker-bloop" and had the next child come up, hold the picture of two frogs and say "peep peep," and so on. It was a fun, interactive way for the kids to get involved and listening to the kiddos try out the funny frog sounds was great!
February 26, 2015
Children's book
Cute counting book. Begins with one frog croaking, then two frogs, three, etc. up to ten. All frogs are in different places -- inside the top of a mossy well, in a mud puddle, etc. At ten frogs croaking, the green guys hear a car and suddenly all stop their "ribbiting".
The frogs stop at the noise of the car passing by, counting down from ten to one.
Very colorful illustrations. Made me wish I had little ones learning to count to ten to buy this for!
Cute counting book. Begins with one frog croaking, then two frogs, three, etc. up to ten. All frogs are in different places -- inside the top of a mossy well, in a mud puddle, etc. At ten frogs croaking, the green guys hear a car and suddenly all stop their "ribbiting".
The frogs stop at the noise of the car passing by, counting down from ten to one.
Very colorful illustrations. Made me wish I had little ones learning to count to ten to buy this for!
April 1, 2010
A fun read aloud where different frogs combine to make a night song. When reading, pause every so often and have the students string the songs together to make an interactive and engaging experience.
The pictures are painted with bright greens for the frogs with subdued blues to show the night's lighting. The various types of cartoon frogs are somewhat realistic and fun.
The pictures are painted with bright greens for the frogs with subdued blues to show the night's lighting. The various types of cartoon frogs are somewhat realistic and fun.
November 16, 2014
My 7 year old recently borrowed this book from our local library.
In this book, it begins with one frog that sang. As the story goes along, the amount of frogs increase up to 10. Then it counts backwards from 10. Each set of frogs sing their own fun tune. Easy text for beginner readers with beautiful illustrations.
In this book, it begins with one frog that sang. As the story goes along, the amount of frogs increase up to 10. Then it counts backwards from 10. Each set of frogs sing their own fun tune. Easy text for beginner readers with beautiful illustrations.
September 17, 2015
I thought this was a very good counting book. When I read it at the daycare I allowed the kids to make the different frog noses. This book keeps the kids very engaged. They loved counting and find the frogs with me. It has nice big numbers that are written the correct way and it goes in counting order forward and backward to 10
October 7, 2008
In this counting books different animals make lots of different sounds. This would be great to do in a program with elementary age kids because you can divide them into groups and have them make the different sounds.
September 17, 2009
A comical counting book with lots of different kinds of frogs making all kinds of interesting sounds. The story counts the frogs from one to ten and then back again as they start their "croaking" and then quiet down. It's a really fun book to read aloud.
April 21, 2010
Great book to use when students are learning how to count to 10 (and count backwards). Students will love all the frog sounds and before you know it, you will have a class of kid frogs. This book also contains excellent illustrations.
May 3, 2010
Good beginners counting book. This book counts up to 10 and counts back from 10. This book could really engage students and be a book they are excited to read. I think this book is ideal for chorus and echo reading.
March 7, 2014
My five-year-old son checked this book out from the library this week. Counting forward to ten, and then backward down to one, with ten different frog noises -- how could you possibly go wrong?
This illustrations suit the text and the frog noises perfectly.
This illustrations suit the text and the frog noises perfectly.
June 30, 2016
About ten frogs singing different animal sounds in the night till a truck comes and then then count down from ten with their sounds. Cute sounds but became a little long with the toddlers. Could try with preschoolers.
November 19, 2007
A cute counting books with lots of wonderful sound effects. The text is a bit long for the littlest counters. I would use it with the 4 and up crowd.
December 22, 2008
Another great book for my frog collection.
What a great book for counting both up and down to 10.
What a great book for counting both up and down to 10.
August 5, 2008
This counting book has cute illustrations and LOTS of funny sounds to make! :)
September 25, 2010
Not one of my favorites but pretty decent.
April 11, 2013
Students will love making the animal sounds. This book teaches counting up and counting down.
April 12, 2013
All kinds of sounds from all kinds of frogs!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews