One Small Hop

by Madelyn Rosenberg

Perfect for fans of Carl Hiaasen's classic Hoot, this humorous adventure story set in a not-so-distant future celebrates the important differences we can make with small, brave acts.

When Ahab and his friends find a bullfrog in their town—a real, live bullfrog, possibly the last bullfrog in North America—they have several options:

A. Report it to the Environmental Police Force. Too bad everyone knows the agency is a joke.

B. Leave it be. They're just a bunch of kids—what if they hurt it by moving it?

C. Find another real, live bullfrog on the black market. Convince their parents to let them bike to Canada. Introduce the two frogs. Save all of frogkind.

Ahab convinces the rest of the group that C is their only real option. Because if they don't save this frog, who will? Their quest, which will involve fake ice cream, real frog spawn, and some very close calls, teaches Ahab that hope is always the logical choice and that science is always better with friends.

With humor and empathy, acclaimed author Madelyn Rosenberg builds an all-too-imaginable future ravaged by climate change, where one kid can still lean on his friends and dream up a better tomorrow.

Genres: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Animals, Adventure, Humor, Childrens

256 pages, Hardcover

Published June 1, 2021

Reviews

[Mary Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would describe this book as a utopian dystopia! In a near future ravaged by climate change, a kid and his friends do something positive for the world. The kids are smart, interested in science, motivated, and capable of making change. The message is that you too can do something to help, but the story is also fun and engaging and manages to make a point about climate change without being at all preachy. Kids of all ages will love it.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the not-too-distant future, climate change has ravaged the earth and most natural areas in the U. S. are toxic with little or no wildlife. Politicians portrayed as callous and uninterested in saving the planet and complacent or hopeless adults are responsible for this dismal state of affairs. A group of children—four middle school kids and one older sibling—set out to save (and mate) a bullfrog they find. The adventure involves a 3 day bike trip into Canada (forbidden now that the U.S. has “unfriended” Canada) and a lightening strike that almost takes out one of the friends. Futuristic technology is interesting to envision and the determination these kids feel to make a difference and turn things around is admirable.

[Brooke Shackelford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend this book to kids in 4-7th grade, kids who like Carl Hiaassen or Stuart Gibbs books, or anyone who wants to read an environmental story. In a near future where the earth’s resources have been depleted and pollution is at a high, one boy and his friends find what could possibly be the last frog on the planet. They set off on an epic adventure/road trip to save the frog/save the world. I appreciate that this was a sci-fi book that isn’t a series. Some kids don’t want to get involved in 5 or more books. So a singleton is really marketable to many kids.

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy book birthday to this darkly funny MG cli-fi novel by @madelynrosenbergwrites 🎉
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Unsure of what cli-fi is? Read my blog post on the topic that I wrote for the @bluemarblelibrarians : https://guides.masslibsystem.org/Clim...
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From my blog post: “Ahab and his friends live in a future where the ocean is nicknamed “The New Dead Sea” and most animals and plants have gone extinct. When the kids find a live bullfrog, they embark on a journey to bike to Canada for a bullfrog mating experiment. Hilarity ensues. In this book, kids are the only ones who can be trusted; even the new Environmental Police Force is really a farce. Why am I not surprised that kids are the ones who have to save the planet?
Takeaway: Cli-fi can be funny and fun. Who knew?”
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[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for fans of Carl Hiaasen's classic Hoot, this humorous adventure story set in a not-so-distant future celebrates the important differences we can make with small, brave acts.

[Dana Fontaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book took forever to finish. It was slow going to start out with. It only picked up like halfway through. Not my favorite.

[Soham Mete · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was good in many ways, however, it left the reader a little unsatisfied. "One Small Hop" by Madelyn Rosenberg provides a great adventure and message. Ahab and his friends are annoyed by how the government does nothing to prevent the change currently happening to the world. So when they find a bullfrog in New Harbor, Maine, one of the last of its kind they must bring it to a mating partner in Canada. This book's greatest advantage is the concept, it's an amazing concept with potential, as this environmentally damaged word can be used in many ways. However, it falls short many times. First, many parts of the story disappear, such as Ahab's sea lice, Juliette's break-up with Peter Ripley, and Davy's crush on Juliette. Another disadvantage is the book's pacing, they spend way too much time in Maine before they go to Canada. Also, the Canada trip itself feels way too rushed with no obstacles. Any challenges they face are solved way too fast. Such as being caught by patrol officers on the border or Ahab being struck by lightning. Though both of these are caused by the book's main problem, it's too short. When Ahab receives a letter from the group that he admires and talks about the whole book, he brushes it off with a sentence or two. Or when they get caught by patrol police using the path that the person they are trying to meet told them to use, they never confront him. However, the biggest problem is Ahab's crush on Delph. Ahab has a crush on Delph and suspects Leroy also does, causing him to dislike him. Eventually, Ahab starts to respect Leroy, but they never actually talk it out which is a little unfulfilling. Despite all that Ahab never actually confesses his love to Delph or does anything at all, which makes no sense considering he's the main character. It doesn't look like this book will be receiving a sequel so while a good read, there are too many loose ends to bring it farther.

[Aidan C · Rating 4 out of 5]

In One Small Hop, the world has experienced a terrible collapse of ecosystems, leaving many once-common animals endangered or extinct. In this near-future, companies create domes where people can go to experience a semblance of the nature they’ve lost. When seventh-grader Ahab takes a bet to ride in a toxic lake in a home-made canoe, he has no idea that it will spawn an adventure involving corporate espionage, cyber warfare, international relations, and the potential fate of all life on Earth. Madelyn Rosenberg has written a thrilling story that all ages can enjoy.

I think this book is a great young adult novel with a cool, cyberpunk feel. It has classic cyberpunk themes of fighting against corrupt governments and mega-corporations. The characters are all distinct, and there is great and realistic banter between them. The children in the story are capable, talented, and driven. There’s a romantic interest that is discussed really healthily considering they are both in seventh grade. The sense of humor is tailored to real jokes that seventh graders make all the time. Highly recommended.

[Alexa Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahab’s world is our world only not—it’s been ruined by all the climate change stuff. Animals are dead, no one drives cars, places are too hot, it’s a mess! But Ahab manages to find a frog on a small island and everything seems possible again. Adventure can happen if only they can keep the frog alive. Ahab wants to save the world and prove himself to a secret society. Can he do it? Can they find a way to mate the frog?
It sounds impossible but it unfolds perfectly. I love how the parents in the book echo the sentiments of people living now, in 2021, and give kids a way to think about that. It’s not the most in depth sci fi but it’s such a tasty bite and way to think about a depressing future. Of course, in the future, the government still sucks at stuff like keeping basically extinct animals alive. That part all readers will recognize.

[Barbara Boustead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with my 9-year-old child as choice from the Nebraska Golden Sower book nominees list. He and I both loved the story. Set in a not-too-distant future where climate change has ravaged ecosystems and government support is... questionable..., the story comes to the point that anyone can make a difference, and even a small difference matters. In this case, a group of children care about discovery, about saving a species, about science, and eventually, about each other. They struggle with questions like why their parents didn't do more when there was still time and why the environmental police force is more worried about giving tickets than saving animals. All of it is crafted into a compelling tale. Kid begged several times to read just one more chapter because he was so drawn into the story.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahab and his friends go to Blue Harbor Middle School where the sky is painted on a giant awning in order to protect students from the elements. Nature centers are also enclosed. Half of the town was washed away before Ahab was born. Everything is rationed. Showers are cut off after two minutes. Most species of wildlife no longer exist. When an opportunity arises to save a living bullfrog from extinction, Ahab and his friends band together for an adventure of a lifetime. This engaging book has it all. Friendship, adventure, science, technology, and an overwhelming passion to save the world from climate change. One Small Hop would make a terrific classroom read aloud. Students and teachers everywhere will love it.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahab and his friends live in Maine in a future where climate change has taken its toll on the world. When one of his friends finds a lobster, they all rush to see it only to find it has died just like most animals. When they find a bullfrog – quite possibly the last bullfrog, they discover another bullfrog just over the border in Canada. They convince their parents to allow them to make a bike trip to Canada recreating the trip Ahab’s father took as a teen. They have to deal with broken down bike trails – they have to be covered to protect riders from the sun – and how to cross the border with contraband (the frog) into a country that the US has cut ties with. As depressing as the world has become, this humorous story offers some hope for a better future.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a Chapter Book Nominee for the 2023-24 Golden Sowers.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and an interesting spin on activism and environmental issues. The characters were quirky and their interactions felt pretty authentic, even though the entirety of the book happens over less than a week. The one thing that was a bit of a stumbling block was that I didn't realize it was set in the "future" . . . about 30 years or so from now. I knew that it was about kids finding an endangered frog, I did not realize that the reality of their lives was that environmental issues had changed the outlook of day to day life (ecosystems destroyed, people had to create fake indoor spaces to replicate outdoor spaces, fragile species, etc).

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the narrator and his family and friend dynamics. Just the right amount of classic bullying, adventures with enough tension to keep you turning the pages, a smidge of romance and under 250 pages- a good fit for grades 4-8. Story builds nicely and slows just a bit before their road trip and then finishes nicely without being preachy. Reminded me of The Next Great Jane and Chirp. Will be buying two copies for my elementary library and first chapter is perfect for FCF.

[Martha Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful kid friendly romp set in an all too close future. Ahab and his friends find what may be the last bullfrog in their area and through subterfuge and enthusiasm end up on a bike trip to CA to mate their frog with another Bullfrog survivor. This book also wrestles with how to have hope at all in the face of climate change, species loss, ecological degradation, government ineptitude and human indifference! This one really worked for me and encouraged me -- and made me laugh!

[Justine Ridder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very interesting concept. This book takes place in the future when majority of wildlife is extinct. This is the story of a group of kids who find a bullfrog (the last in America they believe). So they decide to sneak across to Canada to try to find a mate for the bullfrog.

I'm sorry, I'm just not going to get into a book that's about saving a frog. Not my passion. I'll be interested to hear what kiddos think of it.

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Maine Student Book Award Nominee for 2022|2023

Ahab and his friends live in a not too distant from now Maine, where it’s dangerous to go outside, and most animals are extinct or endangered. When they find a bullfrog on an abandoned island, so begins the biggest adventure of their lives. This book had so much heart. I really enjoyed it, and many of my students will too.

[Candance Doerr-Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny and adventurous story of figuring what is important to you and doing what must be done to protect it

I have a lot more to say about this book but will do so at another time. Many parallels with The Last Panther by Todd Mitchell in terms of child protagonists as change agent.

CL Concepts
— denialism
— collective action

New - Boswell

[Shae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this MG adventure set in the future! It's a great MG adventure as a group of kids attempts to save the bullfrog population. You'll laugh out loud and reflect about the seriousness of saving our planet!

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. The second half action redeemed a too-long exposition and characters I didn’t really care too much about. I’m okay with the environmental platform, but in parts it was a little over-the-top.

[Jennifer Halbur · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for middle grade readers. It will make them think about how we care for the Earth we live on.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Add to dystopian list. Will purchase.

[Butch Lazorchak · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book for kids into science fiction and environmental issues

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tad inspiring!

[Brenna · Rating 1 out of 5]

There needs to be more of a back story with this one in my opinion.

[Noemi · Rating 3 out of 5]

cool setting but i didn't like how it ended

[Kali Pevonka · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute book for grades 6-8. environmental awareness and appreciation. i do think it focused on some moments too much and was rushed at the end.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kids ride their bikes to Canada tomato a pair of bullfrog. Lots of grownup bashing. Not a fan. Leap Year challenge HOP

[Miss B · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst do not read

[Arnav Somaysula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book for young adults and has a lot of connections to the real world while still giving a good plot and story.