Starred review from July 15, 2015
Easy-to-read rhyming fun. From the hilarious endpapers, where the frog is cast in many poses, including reading the newspaper while on the toilet, readers know they are in for an irreverent treat. A bossy cat starts the fun with an impertinent, large, white speech bubble: "HEY, FROG!" The cat continues, "Sit on a log!" When the frog tries to avoid the splintery log by sitting on a mat, the cat loftily informs him, "Only cats sit on mats." And that's not the only rule. Hares sit on chairs, mules sit on stools, and gophers sit on sofas. The silliness escalates with each page turn, almost daring readers to keep a straight face, as when the cat assures the frog that "lions sit on irons and parrots sit on carrots." Snarky cartoon illustrations with bright, saturated, solid-colored backgrounds show a squinty-eyed know-it-all cat and any number of animals sitting on their rhyming objects. A fox (on a box, naturally) holds a magnifying glass over a mess of fleas sitting on peas. New readers will feel confident tackling what at first sight looks like a rather challenging picture book. The clear, guffaw-inducing illustrations and repetition and rhyme give all the support they need for success. Mo Willems fans will find this a perfect challenge, and storytime will never be the same.Impossible to resist. (Picture book. 3-7)
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September 1, 2015
K-Gr 2-Rhyming animal names with objects is a common early reader theme. There have been plenty of cats on mats and frogs on logs. But a lion on an iron? Apes on grapes? This playful book takes that theme to absurd extremes. The story, such as it is, starts with a cat telling a frog to sit on a log. The frog balks, and the cat explains that this is just how things work. "You're a frog, so you must sit on a log." The conversation flows from there. "'What about puffins?' asked the frog. 'Puffins sit on muffins, ' said the cat. 'Puffins sit on muffins, snakes sit on cakes, owls sit on towels.'" At last the frog asks what dogs sit on. The cat responds, "'I was hoping you weren't going to ask that.'" The final page shows the frog being squished by a dog. Rhyming words are slightly larger and darker than the others, and the illustrations are as bright and silly as the text. VERDICT A fun and welcome addition to the world of rhyming animal books.-Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from October 15, 2015
Preschool-K *Starred Review* The quizzical frog on the cover, seen in more than 50 outlandish poses on the endpapers, signals fun ahead. On the first page, a bossy cat demands that our hero sit on a log because he is a frog. Unhappy about the discomfort, the frog offers lots of alternatives, only to be rebuffed because each choice is governed by its rhyming companion; cats sit on mats, and it's a chair for the hare. But it's not just the frog that's disgruntled. Fourteen gophers on sofas seem particularly uncomfortable, until we see 20 foxes trying to squeeze into boxes (while below fleas are lining up to sit on peas). The eyes of each animal reflect its emotions, including confusion (seal), annoyance (gorilla), and obliviousness (mole). And their awkward poses are hilarious, particularly mule perched precariously on a stool. The clever and skillful artwork is highlighted by the pure, bright background colors, making this an eye-catcher for groups. Expect lots of laughterespecially at the twisty endingand some creative additions. Pair with Jeff Mack's Look! (2015) for more slapstick with captivation illustrations.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)