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I Don't Want to Be a Frog
I Don't Want to Be Big
Fans of the hit picture book I Don’t Want to Be a Frog will love this silly companion featuring a frog that's still as stubborn as ever and his surprisingly patient father.
"Reminiscent of Mo Willems’s 'Elephant and Piggie' series"— Publishers Weekly
Frog does NOT want to grow up. Doesn’t need to be tall. Doesn’t want to be able to jump high enough to see the tree frogs. He’s just FINE being small. Besides, if you grow up, you don’t get to do fun things like jump in mud puddles with your best friend, Pig. Do you?
This hilarious story—which uses humor to teach that it’s great being exactly who you are—is sure to bring a smile to every kid who just wants to stay a kid, in addition to those who are the smallest in their class. It’s a sly and smartly funny tale that will have children and parents laughing together.
And look for all the books in this hilarious
I Don't Want to Be a Frog
There's Nothing to Do!
I Don't Want to Go to Sleep
"Reminiscent of Mo Willems’s 'Elephant and Piggie' series"— Publishers Weekly
Frog does NOT want to grow up. Doesn’t need to be tall. Doesn’t want to be able to jump high enough to see the tree frogs. He’s just FINE being small. Besides, if you grow up, you don’t get to do fun things like jump in mud puddles with your best friend, Pig. Do you?
This hilarious story—which uses humor to teach that it’s great being exactly who you are—is sure to bring a smile to every kid who just wants to stay a kid, in addition to those who are the smallest in their class. It’s a sly and smartly funny tale that will have children and parents laughing together.
And look for all the books in this hilarious
I Don't Want to Be a Frog
There's Nothing to Do!
I Don't Want to Go to Sleep
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2016
6 people are currently reading
429 people want to read
About the author
Dev Petty
17 books108 followersDev writes books for kids which are also often enjoyed by immature adults.
She was a senior visual effects artist in film and is now- thanks to her husband, daughters and pets, fully recovered from her chronic workaholism.
She is also good at word jumbles. Really good.
Dev was born in Berkeley, California and now lives pretty much in Berkeley, California.
She was a senior visual effects artist in film and is now- thanks to her husband, daughters and pets, fully recovered from her chronic workaholism.
She is also good at word jumbles. Really good.
Dev was born in Berkeley, California and now lives pretty much in Berkeley, California.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
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March 2, 2016Dev Petty and Mike Boldt make a great team! This "sequel" to I Don't Want to Be a Frog has so many laughs and is sure to be a read aloud crowd pleaser.
June 8, 2016
I think it has a really great message for little ones, and I'm thinking I need a copy for my niece and nephew!
April 20, 2019
Fun and simple. Stamp of approval received from my 4yr old granddaughter. Great art work!
October 22, 2016
From the same creative team responsible for I Don't Want to Be a Frog, this picture book follows a young frog who resists its parent's efforts to get him to eat. After all, the little green guy contends, eating healthy food will make him grow bigger, and he has no desire to grow up or become bigger. After explaining the reasons behind his resistance, he encounters a pig who assures him that being bigger doesn't necessarily mean he has to grow up. Although he changes his mind in the end, it's clear that another battle will need to be fought concerning bath time. The colorful illustrations are sure to bring a smile to the faces of young readers and perhaps some amused parents who may be able to relate to the frog's sentiments. My favorite page was the double-page spread showing the tree frogs that he has no particular interest in meeting.
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February 2, 2017A thrilling debate between father and son about the downsides of growing up.
May 2, 2018
Not as good as the first one, but still pretty cute.
November 22, 2021
This was an interesting book and one that allows the reader to be able to explore the concepts of growing big versus growing tall. As such it is quite a fun yet interesting read.
What I love about the book is that the author doesn't rely on the regular type of plot text to move the story along. Instead the whole time you are reading the story you are listening to the conversation transactions of Little Frog and all the other people that he is discussing this particular issue with. Meanwhile to help make the book a fun read so many of the contextual clues of the book are put in bright colors, which if you want your child to help you read you can get them to make an emphasis on those words.
The illustrations are also quite modern-like with it feeling like you are looking at CGI-type characters. My most favorite illustration of the book, though, was the spread of the tree frogs as they are staring at you.
Unfortunately there are a few points where I take offense such as the part where Little Frog thinks he will just use his dad as transportation while his dad doesn't make a complaint. Then furthermore the author stuck with the stereotyping of pigs loving mud and garbage instead of portraying them as they may be if we didn't keep them in such conditions.
Otherwise the ending is kind of easy to tell and doesn't leave any type of covering up that the author more than likely has another book in the making for his series. But in the long run this was a fun read and one that children may enjoy learning from.
What I love about the book is that the author doesn't rely on the regular type of plot text to move the story along. Instead the whole time you are reading the story you are listening to the conversation transactions of Little Frog and all the other people that he is discussing this particular issue with. Meanwhile to help make the book a fun read so many of the contextual clues of the book are put in bright colors, which if you want your child to help you read you can get them to make an emphasis on those words.
The illustrations are also quite modern-like with it feeling like you are looking at CGI-type characters. My most favorite illustration of the book, though, was the spread of the tree frogs as they are staring at you.
Unfortunately there are a few points where I take offense such as the part where Little Frog thinks he will just use his dad as transportation while his dad doesn't make a complaint. Then furthermore the author stuck with the stereotyping of pigs loving mud and garbage instead of portraying them as they may be if we didn't keep them in such conditions.
Otherwise the ending is kind of easy to tell and doesn't leave any type of covering up that the author more than likely has another book in the making for his series. But in the long run this was a fun read and one that children may enjoy learning from.
December 5, 2021
I Don't Want To Be Big is a picturebook written by Dev Petty. It has not won any awards and it does not seem to be a very popular book but I enjoyed reading it. This book is intended for ages 5-6 which is kindergarten through first grade.
This book takes you through the life of a frog who does not want to be big. The story opens with a frog that does not want to eat dinner because he does not want to grow. Throughout the story his family and friends try to convince him that being big is not that bad. By the end of the story the frog decides to eat and chnages his mind saying it is okay to be big.
I rated this book three out of five stars because liked it but it was diffcult to read out loud because of the way the words are layed out on the pages in speech bubbles. Next time I read it I may try to use different voices for each character to see if that makes it easier. The illistrations are colorful and the plot is cute especially when we meet the different animals. I don't know if I would ever use this book in the classroom, maybe if we are talking about growing up but I wouldnt want my students to get the wrong message and make them not want to grow up.
This book takes you through the life of a frog who does not want to be big. The story opens with a frog that does not want to eat dinner because he does not want to grow. Throughout the story his family and friends try to convince him that being big is not that bad. By the end of the story the frog decides to eat and chnages his mind saying it is okay to be big.
I rated this book three out of five stars because liked it but it was diffcult to read out loud because of the way the words are layed out on the pages in speech bubbles. Next time I read it I may try to use different voices for each character to see if that makes it easier. The illistrations are colorful and the plot is cute especially when we meet the different animals. I don't know if I would ever use this book in the classroom, maybe if we are talking about growing up but I wouldnt want my students to get the wrong message and make them not want to grow up.
August 13, 2020
Чаровната картинна книга „Не искам да бъда жаба” (изд. „A&T Publishing”) от Дев Пети и Майк Болд има свое продължение! Малката жаба е ГОЛЯМ хит, но... Чакайте, чакайте... Какво казва сега? „Не искам да бъда голям”. И таз добра! Втория жабешки комикс от поредицата отново е под формата на закачлив, илюстриран диалог между големите и малките, а темата този път е за неизбежните промени. Или пък за нещата, които спокойно могат да си останат същите! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...
October 4, 2023
It's interesting just how much we wish we are anything but who we are. A child oftentimes feels like they're too small for all the fun stuff. Or too big for all the cuddling and support that smaller children and babies get. It's hard for them to realize that where they are now is just right for them in this moment.
The secret? We all still feel this way sometimes. I wish I were a kid again a LOT. Or younger. Or sometimes even a little older (retired? maybe...) Finding contentment in the moment is a great lesson to learn. And this book is funny and interesting to read which makes it a perfect way to talk about these feelings.
The secret? We all still feel this way sometimes. I wish I were a kid again a LOT. Or younger. Or sometimes even a little older (retired? maybe...) Finding contentment in the moment is a great lesson to learn. And this book is funny and interesting to read which makes it a perfect way to talk about these feelings.
January 22, 2018
I Don't Want to Be Big is a cute little story about a frog who won't eat his dinner because he doesn't want to be big. His father, and then his friends, all try to convince him that being big isn't so bad, to varying levels of success.
The book's format is that of a conversation between the young frog and one or two people at a time. It can be a little tricky to read out loud if you don't like doing different voices, but that also makes it a great book to practice your reading-aloud skills with!
The book's format is that of a conversation between the young frog and one or two people at a time. It can be a little tricky to read out loud if you don't like doing different voices, but that also makes it a great book to practice your reading-aloud skills with!
May 22, 2017
Age: 3+
This is such a cute little book about size, growing up and father-child relationships. A little frog refuses to eat dinner because he does not want to grow up to be big. He and his father go through all the pros and cons of being big before recruiting different large animals to chime in with their perspective. The illustrations are so bubbly and expressive. This is a great book for storytimes and circle times.
This is such a cute little book about size, growing up and father-child relationships. A little frog refuses to eat dinner because he does not want to grow up to be big. He and his father go through all the pros and cons of being big before recruiting different large animals to chime in with their perspective. The illustrations are so bubbly and expressive. This is a great book for storytimes and circle times.
January 31, 2019
Cute story about a frog who does not want to grow up. He encounters other animals and works through his dilemma. It is a dialog book with colorful illustrations. The frog has to consider many things before he can make up his mind about growing big. I think kids will like it. Recommended for Grades 1-2
March 1, 2019
I love, love, love this whiny, sassy little frog. The mixture of patience and frustration of his father, and the fact that the little frog NEVER listens to his dad but will TOTALLY listen to someone else. I think every parent can hear dad's voice. Kids love it as a read aloud, and it is a good way to talk about text features and how they affect reading.
February 6, 2021
A companion to I Don’t Want to Be a Frog.
Frog does NOT want to grow up. Doesn’t need to be tall. Doesn’t want to be able to jump high enough to see the tree frogs. He’s just FINE being small. Besides, if you grow up, you don’t get to do fun things like jump in mud puddles with your best friend, Pig. Do you?
Frog does NOT want to grow up. Doesn’t need to be tall. Doesn’t want to be able to jump high enough to see the tree frogs. He’s just FINE being small. Besides, if you grow up, you don’t get to do fun things like jump in mud puddles with your best friend, Pig. Do you?
March 30, 2021
Little Frog argues with his father about reasons to stay little. Conversation bubbles carry the dialog; cartoonish illustrations are humorous.
While the story is cute, and Little Frog eventually stops resisting the inevitable, I did not find this book nearly as successful as I Don't Want to Be a Frog.
While the story is cute, and Little Frog eventually stops resisting the inevitable, I did not find this book nearly as successful as I Don't Want to Be a Frog.
March 26, 2017
I loved the first of these books and this makes a welcome addition.
The little frog doesn't want to be big. When asked why he gives several answers. His dad finally deducing that the real reason is he doesn't want to grow-up.
I love the patient reasoning of little frog's father and little frog's self-assured tone completely cracks me up.
The little frog doesn't want to be big. When asked why he gives several answers. His dad finally deducing that the real reason is he doesn't want to grow-up.
I love the patient reasoning of little frog's father and little frog's self-assured tone completely cracks me up.
June 6, 2018
Fun story for preschoolers and young elementary students.
Frog doesn't want to be big... because he doesn't want to grow up and stop having fun.
The kids thought it was funny.
I thought frog's change of mind was a bit sudden, but it's still a fun, quick read.
Frog doesn't want to be big... because he doesn't want to grow up and stop having fun.
The kids thought it was funny.
I thought frog's change of mind was a bit sudden, but it's still a fun, quick read.
August 19, 2017
I love reading books like this to my son. He is only five months old but reading the fussy frog's "logic" aloud to him makes him smile! The illustrations are bright and fun and take up the whole page wonderfully.
February 2, 2018
My students loved "I don't want to be a frog" but not so much "I don't want to be big" - it's very hard to read dialogue aloud to little ones. Perhaps this would be better as a mentor text on dialogue.
September 20, 2018
I love dialogue only books for read aloud. I did not know that Dev Petty had a four book deal.
I Don't Want to be a Frog's
I Don't Want to be Big
There's Nothing to Do
I Don't Want to GO to Sleep
They are all well done and fun. I would suggest taking your time reading these aloud. The reader may need to really look at the details and explain some of what is being illustrated and who is doing the talking.
I Don't Want to be a Frog's
I Don't Want to be Big
There's Nothing to Do
I Don't Want to GO to Sleep
They are all well done and fun. I would suggest taking your time reading these aloud. The reader may need to really look at the details and explain some of what is being illustrated and who is doing the talking.
October 26, 2019
Sweet little book about a little frog that didn’t want to grow up. Parents can relate to expressions of the father frog while little ones can relate about how sometimes getting big just doesn’t seem like all that much fun.
December 13, 2020
A funny book with a common theme that some children experience. My eight year daughter enjoyed creating voices for the three main characters and learning some interesting new words as well. My child enjoyed reading the story again with friends during play dates.
January 11, 2023
This is a funny tale about a little frog who doesn't want to grow big. The illustrations are colorful and cartoonish and complement the narrative well. For some reason, my favorite part was the depiction of the tree frogs in the middle of the story.
May 19, 2023
As the youngest in the family, all he wants to be is bigger! Bigger than big brother, bigger than big sister, bigger than his mom and bigger than his dad. He get's his wish and realizes it is not what he thought it was going to be like. Being small is actually not so bad after all.
July 11, 2018
A little frog doesn't want to grow up. This is an amazing book! Fun with great illustrations.
March 27, 2018
Pretty cute. I didn't like it as much as I did I Don't Want to Be a Frog.
September 2, 2018
Norah and Hazel loved this one and I admit that it is cute and clever
September 13, 2018
Fun pictures complement this clever read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews