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Summary
Summary
Boyds Mills Press publishes a wide range of high-quality fiction and nonfiction picture books, chapter books, novels, and nonfiction
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-An inventive twist on the now-familiar technique of retelling a folk song in picture-book form. Lush watercolors show richly costumed characters while bordered text allow the lyrics of the song to tell the story. Interspersed throughout are some pencil sketches that show the "stage" version of this story. However, the rich watercolors take center stage here as Frog, a handsome and debonair fellow, is natty in green coat, plaid kilt, and black shiny boots. Miss Mouse is a blushing maiden in a gold-belted green dress with high collar and white puffy sleeves. Uncle Rat is lord of the manor who takes time from his beloved golf to peer over his spectacles and give his consent to the union. As the story progresses and the wedding takes place, each verse of the song is another "act" of the play with more characters introduced. Filled with details and plenty of references to the song's Scottish roots, this retelling brings "Froggy" to life, celebrating its heritage, characters, and inherent romance. A joyous musical treat.-Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Catalano (illustrator of Sleeping Beauty) serves up this familiar folk song with a splash of whimsy, setting it in its native Scotland as a stage musical. Decked out in kilt and sporran, his bagpipes tucked under his arm, Frog cuts a fine figure as he sets off with his faithful drummer atop a saddled duck to woo the fair Miss Mouse. Things progress swiftly; Frog secures Uncle Rat's consent and wedding preparations are soon underway. After the festivities, the happy couple heads "off to France./ So ends our story but starts their romance." It's a straightforward retelling, with the real fun residing in the illustrations: droll touches include wedding guests divided into frogs for the groom's side, mice for the bride; a disgruntled kitty who lurks in the background, then makes off with the bagpipes; and, on the ship bound for France, a figurehead that looks like a cross between Kermit the Frog and the Little Mermaid. Catalano adheres to the theatrical theme throughout, presenting six "acts" (i.e., verses) opening with black-and-white sketches of the stage production, complete with props and actors, then following up with full-bleed pastels that flesh out the action. Skillfully shaded and blended, the artwork has a textured look that transforms horizontal perspectives into dramatic backdrops. The subplot with the bagpipes has a satisfying ending, tooas a wedding present, Frog receives a saxophone from his blushing bride. A simple arrangement of the song, complete with guitar chords, sounds the closing notes to this buoyant musical. Ages 4-6. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Ages 4^-6. In this adaptation of the beloved folk song, Frog dresses in his finest clothes to ask Mouse to be his bride, Uncle Rat gives his consent, Miss Mole helps design the wedding gown, a loquacious ladybug performs the ceremony, Chef Raccoon and an elegant moth serve a delicious meal, and a tomcat tries unsuccessfully to spoil the party. Catalano has set his version in seventeenth-century Scotland and retold it in the form of a play, with a formal cast of characters, six short acts, and a musical arrangement for voice and guitar. The text is perfect for singing, and the charcoal drawings of the actors on stage complement bold, stunning paintings, good for showing to a small group. The book may also be used to introduce children to the basic concepts of an old-fashioned play. --Helen Rosenberg