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Catch a Robber
Pibbin, smallest of treefrogs, hops into a challenge! His friend, Skitter, is in jail, and Pibbin knows she didn’t steal the rabbits’ necklace—but the rabbits demand proof! So Pibbin and his friends set off to track down the robber, hoping they won’t run into the monster of Shadow Swamp. But they do. ~An easy reading adventure for ages 7 and up.~Includes black & white illustrations and story map.
125 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2013
10 people want to read
About the author
Gloria Repp
47 books57 followersBedtime? Story time! Gloria Repp’s earliest memories center on the stories her father told at bedtime. “What kind of story would you like tonight?” he’d ask, taking her onto his lap.
She always had an answer, different every time: “About a princess. And a lion. And maybe a horse—a brave, kind horse.”
After she learned to read, Gloria found stories on her own, but the ones she told herself seemed the most satisfying. Her mother died, her father remarried, she was sent away to school, and on many nights she treated herself to another imaginary adventure.
She became an omnivorous reader as the years passed, and finally she recognized what she’d always wanted to do: write down her stories for children to read.
She studied the craft of writing juvenile fiction and then began. Her three children seemed to like her stories, so she took the long road to publication and found that others liked them too. Since then, she has taught creative writing, worked as an editor, and written more books—for children, teens, and adults.
Many of Gloria’s books reflect her love for wilderness, and she says that the oceans, mountains, and forests of her childhood in Hawaii and Canada provide an inspiration she has never outgrown.
Recently, she has been exploring the New Jersey Pine Barrens, an incomparable wilderness of woods and rivers, bogs and ruins. One memorable spring evening, she listened to its frogs and found them irresistible. Before long, the hours of tramping through abandoned cranberry bogs bore fruit, and she began to dream of stories about a tiny Pine Barrens Treefrog named Pibbin.
Pibbin’s adventures have taken shape, young readers enjoy them, and each year she goes back to the Pine Barrens for more. The Tales of Friendship Bog continue.
She always had an answer, different every time: “About a princess. And a lion. And maybe a horse—a brave, kind horse.”
After she learned to read, Gloria found stories on her own, but the ones she told herself seemed the most satisfying. Her mother died, her father remarried, she was sent away to school, and on many nights she treated herself to another imaginary adventure.
She became an omnivorous reader as the years passed, and finally she recognized what she’d always wanted to do: write down her stories for children to read.
She studied the craft of writing juvenile fiction and then began. Her three children seemed to like her stories, so she took the long road to publication and found that others liked them too. Since then, she has taught creative writing, worked as an editor, and written more books—for children, teens, and adults.
Many of Gloria’s books reflect her love for wilderness, and she says that the oceans, mountains, and forests of her childhood in Hawaii and Canada provide an inspiration she has never outgrown.
Recently, she has been exploring the New Jersey Pine Barrens, an incomparable wilderness of woods and rivers, bogs and ruins. One memorable spring evening, she listened to its frogs and found them irresistible. Before long, the hours of tramping through abandoned cranberry bogs bore fruit, and she began to dream of stories about a tiny Pine Barrens Treefrog named Pibbin.
Pibbin’s adventures have taken shape, young readers enjoy them, and each year she goes back to the Pine Barrens for more. The Tales of Friendship Bog continue.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 4, 2013
Skitter always was kind to Pibbin – talking with him, giving him beetle cookies, taking care of him after a bird pecked him. When – in an apparent case of mistaken identity – the rabbits held Skitter captive as a thief, and demanded the real thief and the stolen necklace before they would let her go – well, what was Pibbin to do?
The only thing a friend could. Catch a robber. Even, even if it takes him out of Friendship Bog and into Shadow Swamp.
Catch a Robber - the fourth Tale of Friendship Bog – is written by Gloria Repp. The book is 116 pages, and very nicely laid-out – with well-drawn illustrations, wide spacing, and a fairly large font. It’s sold for “Ages 8 and up”, and I think it’s ideal for children who are ready to stretch beyond picture books but for whom a full-length novel is still too daunting.
As in Trapped, the writing style is crisp, with few long sentences and probably no complicated ones. But the writing is skilled, and there are some lovely images and expressions. “Peeper-voices chimed like tiny bells in the bushes”; one passage had a snake that curled downward “like a smooth, shining ribbon,” and another that “arranged himself into a black coil and gazed at the rabbits with bright, hungry eyes.”
The story is good and the characters are excellent. Nisk, Keena, the shrews, the Big Red, Mee – all riveting, in their own way. (The bit with Mee was marvelous, building tension and intrigue through a fascinating character.) Gloria Repp excels with characters who are – how can I put this? – not quite normal. Nisk is good, I don’t doubt, and likeable as a character, but his mind is somewhere off the beaten the track.
It’s a little funny, on reflection, that among the main antagonists of this children’s book are rabbits. (Note that I don’t say villains; they’re not quite that.) But in the book itself, it completely works. I didn’t question it for a second, wasn’t drawn out of the story at all. In large part this is because Gloria Repp succeeds in framing the world as it is for her characters. To a little frog like Pibbin, rabbits are large and noisy and strong.
A word on the illustrations (done by Michael Swaim, I should note): They really are well-done, a very pleasant halfway point between a cartoon and realism. They are also appealing to children; I know because when I showed one of the Friendship Bog books to my youngest sister (four last month), she turned the pages, looking at the illustrations, and finally asked, “How do you read this thing?”
Catch a Robber is a superb children’s book – a good story with writing and characters adults can appreciate along with children. It’s also entirely wholesome, and I would recommend it to parents and teachers without reservation.
I received a review copy of this book.
The only thing a friend could. Catch a robber. Even, even if it takes him out of Friendship Bog and into Shadow Swamp.
Catch a Robber - the fourth Tale of Friendship Bog – is written by Gloria Repp. The book is 116 pages, and very nicely laid-out – with well-drawn illustrations, wide spacing, and a fairly large font. It’s sold for “Ages 8 and up”, and I think it’s ideal for children who are ready to stretch beyond picture books but for whom a full-length novel is still too daunting.
As in Trapped, the writing style is crisp, with few long sentences and probably no complicated ones. But the writing is skilled, and there are some lovely images and expressions. “Peeper-voices chimed like tiny bells in the bushes”; one passage had a snake that curled downward “like a smooth, shining ribbon,” and another that “arranged himself into a black coil and gazed at the rabbits with bright, hungry eyes.”
The story is good and the characters are excellent. Nisk, Keena, the shrews, the Big Red, Mee – all riveting, in their own way. (The bit with Mee was marvelous, building tension and intrigue through a fascinating character.) Gloria Repp excels with characters who are – how can I put this? – not quite normal. Nisk is good, I don’t doubt, and likeable as a character, but his mind is somewhere off the beaten the track.
It’s a little funny, on reflection, that among the main antagonists of this children’s book are rabbits. (Note that I don’t say villains; they’re not quite that.) But in the book itself, it completely works. I didn’t question it for a second, wasn’t drawn out of the story at all. In large part this is because Gloria Repp succeeds in framing the world as it is for her characters. To a little frog like Pibbin, rabbits are large and noisy and strong.
A word on the illustrations (done by Michael Swaim, I should note): They really are well-done, a very pleasant halfway point between a cartoon and realism. They are also appealing to children; I know because when I showed one of the Friendship Bog books to my youngest sister (four last month), she turned the pages, looking at the illustrations, and finally asked, “How do you read this thing?”
Catch a Robber is a superb children’s book – a good story with writing and characters adults can appreciate along with children. It’s also entirely wholesome, and I would recommend it to parents and teachers without reservation.
I received a review copy of this book.
April 1, 2014
Catch a Robber by Gloria Repp is the fourth delightful story in this series. Pibbin the tiny frog with the big heart is off on another adventure and this one will take him to Shadow Swamp which is inhabited by very large creatures. But he is loyal to his friends so he will put on a brave face and do whatever is necessary to free Skitter the lizard from the Rabbit’s jail. A necklace has been stolen from Grannie Primrose and the rabbits are sure that Skitter is the thief. Nisk has mended his ways and is helping Pippin and Leeper to hunt for Skitter’s cousin for they believe the cousin is the real thief. With the help of several friends, Pibbin is able to rescue Skitter from the jail and she is taken to Gaffer’s house to recover from her ordeal. When Pibbin goes to visit her he is shocked at her appearance but after drinking water she is much better. Pippin has picked a bouquet of flowers for Skitter but when he goes to take them from his backpack, all he finds are yellow seeds that smell like lemon. Skitter is overjoyed for she had been wanting some Lemon Tickseed and Pibbin has brought her some. She promises him that she will make him some red bug cookies with lemon.
Gloria continues to write an excellent story about the life of a tiny tree frog. In this story we see the animals showing bravery, loyalty, honesty, and great concern for others. All the little characters in the story still seem to have human traits and this adds so much to the story. The dialogue is very well written and it contributes to the human-like qualities of the animals. Some of the little animals have habits that are not desirable but usually they become better by the end of the book. Nisk has definitely become a better squirrel but he still has a problem with his speech. As with the other books, the illustrations are top notch and add a lot to the story and the photos of real frogs at the end of the book are a good addition. This time the cookies are red bug with lemon and with lemon they have to be good. I have a great fear of snakes but in this book the snakes are quite likeable for Gloria gives them such poetic dialogue.
I highly recommend this book for young children and I think it would be a great book for them to read to a younger sibling or to their parents. Even adults will enjoy reading it for themselves.
Thanks to the author, Gloria Repp, for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Gloria continues to write an excellent story about the life of a tiny tree frog. In this story we see the animals showing bravery, loyalty, honesty, and great concern for others. All the little characters in the story still seem to have human traits and this adds so much to the story. The dialogue is very well written and it contributes to the human-like qualities of the animals. Some of the little animals have habits that are not desirable but usually they become better by the end of the book. Nisk has definitely become a better squirrel but he still has a problem with his speech. As with the other books, the illustrations are top notch and add a lot to the story and the photos of real frogs at the end of the book are a good addition. This time the cookies are red bug with lemon and with lemon they have to be good. I have a great fear of snakes but in this book the snakes are quite likeable for Gloria gives them such poetic dialogue.
I highly recommend this book for young children and I think it would be a great book for them to read to a younger sibling or to their parents. Even adults will enjoy reading it for themselves.
Thanks to the author, Gloria Repp, for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
November 24, 2013
'Catch the Robber' is another delightful adventure with Pibbin and the Friendship Bog series. Friendship Bog is just as it state...friendly. All the various creatures talk to one another and are, mostly, nice and protective of one another. They truly strive to keep peace among themselves and with surrounding bogs.
Pibbin the intelligent, cute, but curious frog who seems to always find a different situation to investigate and try to help find a solution for. This time he is headed to the forbidden Shadow Swamp. What scary and unusual things will he discover there? Should he go even when he is warned not to? Will he be able to save Skitter even if he goes?
He has a lot of big decisions to make!...Decisions which will very likely be life threatening. The action and suspense just keeps happening the very end.
The cover is bright and colorful and compliments the story. In side, the black & white illustrations also done by Michael Swaim, are well done.
The various, descriptions and personality traits of the various characters are well defined, as are the various environmental surroundings.
This book is on of my favorites of the Friendship Bog series. This review of this book offers a Five Stars rating.
This book was sent to me by the author for an honest review, of which I have given.
Pibbin the intelligent, cute, but curious frog who seems to always find a different situation to investigate and try to help find a solution for. This time he is headed to the forbidden Shadow Swamp. What scary and unusual things will he discover there? Should he go even when he is warned not to? Will he be able to save Skitter even if he goes?
He has a lot of big decisions to make!...Decisions which will very likely be life threatening. The action and suspense just keeps happening the very end.
The cover is bright and colorful and compliments the story. In side, the black & white illustrations also done by Michael Swaim, are well done.
The various, descriptions and personality traits of the various characters are well defined, as are the various environmental surroundings.
This book is on of my favorites of the Friendship Bog series. This review of this book offers a Five Stars rating.
This book was sent to me by the author for an honest review, of which I have given.
January 5, 2014
I gave this book a rating of five stars for a well-written book for children especially but any adults that love animal stories O
think will enjoy reading this book also. It's she ,the author has shared a remake able story with good morals in it, It not a real short story but if you get the printed copy you may have even better pictures than otherwise parents /grownups. As I have already mentioned this is a great story for those who enjoy animal stories, whither you are grownups or children. It's. not for very,very young children as far as reading it all at once though. Great job,Gloria! By Angela L.
think will enjoy reading this book also. It's she ,the author has shared a remake able story with good morals in it, It not a real short story but if you get the printed copy you may have even better pictures than otherwise parents /grownups. As I have already mentioned this is a great story for those who enjoy animal stories, whither you are grownups or children. It's. not for very,very young children as far as reading it all at once though. Great job,Gloria! By Angela L.
July 3, 2017
This is the fourth book in a series that uses animals to teach valuable life lessons. Friendships are so very important, being there for your friends, helping them, and supporting them that is what this story is all about. It is written for children, but this chapter book is one that younger children may need read to them. It is one that parents can help their children understand an important life lesson. Helping a friend in need and never giving up.
November 1, 2013
I was given this book for review purposes and LOVED it. I'm a former teacher and was imagining reading this to my students as I read it. The characters are delightful, the illustrations beautiful, the story well developed and engaging. It teaches the value of bravery, honesty, loyalty and so much more. Even as an adult I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to sharing it with my young nieces
March 9, 2021
There is an illustrated cast of characters in the beginning of this story and I had to keep checking back because I forgot who was who so I lost interest in the first few pages and didn't finish reading it. It could be great but I can't really tell.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews