Science Comics: Frogs: Awesome Amphibians

Science Comics

by Liz Prince

Hop to it with Science Comics: Frogs, a new volume of First Second's fan-favorite nonfiction graphic novel series!

With their signature sounds, athletic tongues, and bulging eyes, there’s a lot to love about frogs! But did you know that they soak up air and even liquid through their skin? Or that they use their eyes to swallow food? From tiny tadpoles in water to boisterous bullfrogs on land, the life cycle of these amphibious acrobats is one of the coolest examples of metamorphosis around. So pull up a lily pad and dive in, because the frog facts in this book will truly give you something to croak about!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Science, Graphic Novels Comics, Middle Grade, Animals, Comics

128 pages, Paperback

Published October 24, 2023

About the author

I have been a comic artist and a self-publisher since I was in high school in the mid-90's. In 2005 my book Will You Still Love Me If I Wet the Bed? was published by Top Shelf Productions; it won an Ignatz Award for Outstanding Debut. Top Shelf has since published two more of my autobio comic collections, Delayed Replays in 2008, and Alone Forever earlier this year. In September my first full length graphic novel, a memoir about adolescence and gender stereotypes called Tomboy, comes out from Zest Books.

I have had comics published in numerous anthologies, drawn stories for the wildly popular Adventure Time series, and I am a columnist for the punk magazine Razorcake.

Currently my cat Dracula is sitting on my lap, and his sister Wolfman is giving him the side-eye.

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! I learned a ton about frogs and toads! Super fun to read! Love the illustrations!

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love the Science Comics series, and FROGS is a new favorite. The author and illustrator did a fantastic job teaching the reader all about frog anatomy, reproduction, lifecycles, and showcased some epically weird species (like the one that grows eggs IN IT'S BACK?! aaagh so gross and cool). Kids are going to love this - I can't wait to add it to our library collection.

*thanks so much to First Second for the NetGalley review copy. Science Comics: Frogs publishes October 24, 2023.

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Science Comics s a wonderful series of books packed with interesting information. This one is all about frogs and toads. I think the author left no stone unturned when it come to frog facts… their signature sounds, talented tongues, and bulging eyes, how soak up air and even liquid through their skin and use their eyes to swallow food.
Facts are presented in a fun way with dialogue from the creatures and the curious little dark, haired girl. I liked the well drawn diagrams throughout the book which provided for vivid understanding of the biology of the frog. Readers also get a fun geography lesson from the maps detailing where the different species of frogs are native. For even further understanding is the extensive glossary at the end.
The illustrations are bright and visually engaging.
I highly recommend this book and series.

[Kim Cabrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great graphic novel all about frogs and tadpoles. I think this is a great way for kids to learn these scientific concepts. The concepts are presented as a story in graphic novel format. They follow the adventures of Fran as they learn all about these fascinating animals from a green tadpole. The little tadpole goes along for the ride with Fran in a small fish bowl. The tadpole leads the tour and shows Fran all the different aspects of the lives of frogs and tadpoles. Many species are featured, worldwide. Their biology is well-explained, at a level kids can understand. Some remarkable facts are presented and interesting species are shown. Some have unique adaptations that allow them to survive more harsh environments. The graphics are fantastic. The drawings show the frogs, their internal organs, the tadpoles, the environment, and more. Each concept was clearly presented by the cute and informative drawings. The whole book is in color too, so it is bright and attractive to draw the reader's interest. Complex science concepts (for example aposematism, metamorphosis, chytrid fungus) are presented in a way the reader can grasp. I love the way this was organized and presented. I think this is an awesome way to get young readers interested in different scientific concepts.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wealth of frog knowledge comes across in a digestible and fun way.

Following the on-goings of a young, frog fan, this is a read which first allows the reader to connect with a kind and curious character before hitting the biological facts. There's just enough puny and situation humor to keep things light, family relationships to bring warmth and heart, and situations which will have readers opening their eyes in their own surroundings to embark on small explorations themselves.

The frog facts are interesting and well-delivered. These cover a wide range of frog stages and areas, giving the reader a general knowledge along with a few more details. This covers several varieties of frogs as well, and even lesser known ones. All of this is kept interesting and worked into the tale to keep those pages turning. Of course, the bright illustrations not only make the read light and quick, but also help with the science end to make some information come across more clearly. It's a great way to bring across information in a fun read. I received a DRC through Netgalley and enjoyed the fun delivery of the information.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know there's always a story to carry the science comic through but for this one, it was a little wonky because there was so much to learn about frogs from around the world and right in the young girl's backyard who wanted to school her on amphibians. It was fine, but I could have skipped over the underlying story and gone straight to the awesome world of amphibians.

To know all the things about frogs from ones that ribbit in other frequencies to avoid being drowned out by waterfalls to their color schemes (bright = dangerously poisonous unless it also is "mimicking" a poisonous frog) to the differences between toads and frogs to the adaptations they have like the frog that only comes out of the sand every few years when it happens to rain where it lives and does "all the things" in a short amount of time. Literally chock full of cool factoids, easy-to-learn frog life, and ways that we can help maintain their ecosystems.

I always learn so much from these comics.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fran discovers a pond behind the new house and gets a lesson from the local amphibians about their characteristics, unique attributes, and habitats.

This is a solid introduction to amphibians, the stages of life in amphibians, what happens during metamorphosis, and how frogs survive different habitats (from where they lay their eggs to what they do in times of extreme weather).

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: Mating of frogs is briefly touched on in clinical, educational types of terms.
Violence: Predation is mentioned.
Ethnic diversity: The people in the book include 2 people of color and 1 Whiter person.
LGBTQ+ content: Fran is referred to with they/them pronouns. Fan has 2 dads.
Other: Some gross factor in things like the fact that many frogs eat their own skin.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi frog fanatics! Liz “FROG” Prince here, the author of this forthcoming entry into the Science Comics series!

I’m really excited to share my love of amphibians with you through this fun, fact-filled, frogstravaganza! Frogs have been my favorite animal since I was a child, and getting to explore that through an edutainment comic was a really positive experience. I hope that comes through on the page.

Big shout out to my long-time comics friend Jim Kettner, for his coloring and lettering work on this book: his colors really do a lot of the heavy lifting of bringing life to my cartoony drawings, and I just know you’re going to be really pleased by how much it improves my artwork. I can’t thank him enough.

So readers: what is your favorite frog???

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

didn’t know what to expect going into this but ultimately I really enjoyed it silly puns included. I learned quite a bit reading this and found it was interesting and kept attention. When it comes to a child audience I would say this definitely would do well in the 9-12 range or up. The drawing are beautiful and informative giving you types of frogs and locations as well as so much more info in and interesting and digestible way. Something fun that a parent could read with a child as it has jokes only parents may get. I would highly recommend this for school library’s and for teachers to have in their class. Overall great book great information fantastic art and bonus points for inclusivity.

[K Gover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of this series. It presents tons of non-fiction facts through story telling, graphic novel format and diagrams.

Written by a scientist who studies poisonous amphibians this book hooks the reader with a child, Fran, who has just moved and explores her surroundings. Meet Sal A Mander and the facts begin.
Readers will learn about life cycle, habitat, metamorphosis and then some.

Topics: amphibians, habitats, science, graphic novels
Recommended: grades 5+ due to content that is advanced

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The framing narrative felt really unnecessary this time. Here, a girl has just moved from the city to the country, and is being taught all about frogs by a frog. At times, this device was so paper thin that I didn't see the point of having one at all. That said, I did like the way the information was presented. I learned a lot about frogs, from their life cycles to a bunch of different unique and fascinating frogs. I also liked that the book ended with a round up of ways that young readers could help frog conservation, particularly volunteering in Big Night efforts.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Join Fran in Amphibian Academy, and learn all you'd ever want to know about the amazing frog. This terrific makes-learnin'-fun graphic would make a great addition to any classroom or school library.


Thanks to NetGalley and First Second Books for the read.

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love frogs! This was a great book! I loved learning about all the different types of frogs and their features! So many cool facts that I didn't know! I also liked the art. It was so cool to learn all of these cool facts!
( Also despite what haters say it is perfectly fine that Fran has two dads.)

[Alec Longstreth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fun, fact-filled book about frogs is a family favorite with both my daughters (5 and 7). Liz Prince's humor is infused throughout pages overflowing with information about salamanders, newts, frogs and toads. A perfect book for the amphibian-obsessed kid in your life!

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps my least favorite art of this series. But some really good writing. And there wasn't that much of a story. So the writing should really have been impenetrable. So it averaged out. Fascinating and just well done. And the art didn't get in the way. 3.5 of 5

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Meredith Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review at https://noflyingnotights.com/blog/202...

[Veronica Precourt · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was so cool

[G_Spike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot about frogs in this book. I really enjoyed reading it.

[wildct2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Grg · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Is that a hole in your head, or are you just happy to see me?"

[Jennifer Scholebo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a science book about amphibians... Liz Prince, please leave your gender ideology out of kids books. The girl in this story has 2 dads (p 77).

[rowan ꩜ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a new found love and respect for frogs after reading this book.

[Nancy Liu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that it was very informative and fun to read at the same time ! I really enjoyed reading it i want to share with my friends

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is a lot of fun and soooo much good information. I learned a lot about frogs. Definitely putting this one in my classroom.

[blueygurl2016 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this was a pretty good book about frogs and other various amphibians but my one complaint was the part where it talked about, and showed, the frogs’ mating position. That is a little inappropriate for a kids’ book? Like I didn’t really need to know that. And no twelve year old needs to know that either. Some of the other comics about animals have talked about mating and reaching sexual maturity, which fine, that’s a part of nature. But nothing as graphic as showing an actual breeding position.

[Villain E · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do you not have a section explaining the difference between frogs and toads?

A talking tadpole introduces a girl to the world of frogs. First we get an explanation of amphibians. We get some frog biology. And a lot of time is spent on different mutations of different species of frog. The art was serviceable. The text was way too small.

[Karrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

1) I love Liz Prince
2) This was a really funny book
3) I was obsessed with frogs and catching them when I was little
4) I learned SO MUCH
5) I want to do Night Saving Frogs! But I live in a rural kinda area, so maybe Ann Arbor will have something!!