The 2023 CBCA Early Childhood Book of the Year Honour Book
Tap, tap tap ...
Frog thinks there's no one else in the forest, but you never know what's just around the corner ...
Celebrated creator Anna Walker invites us to hear with our eyes as we follow frog on a rollicking escapade in this pitch-perfect pre-school soundscape.
'The simple repetition of words throughout the story invites lively call-and-response read-alouds with little ones, while Walker's rich washes of colour prove irresistible, drawing the focus with their saturated hues and patterns. With gorgeous illustrations, a very expressive amphibian, and plenty of animals to spot and count along the way, this book is sure to become a firm favourite at home. For ages 0+.'
-Kate McIntosh, Readings Kids
'Anna Walker has cleverly created a humorous, energetic, and playful tale of a frog's adventure through the jungle and the unexpected creatures it meets along the way. It is immediately relatable to young children, with its minimal, simple and direct language that perfectly evokes the sensory world of the frog and the other creatures in it. The tactile front cover is bright and engaging, with the little frog literally leaping off the front and into the narrative. The endpapers extend the storyline, and the text is creatively positioned on the page, like the movement of text mirroring the animals' actions, which adds interest and catches the eye. The story's pace is maintained by the illustrations and humour introduced by the near misses of the frog as it narrowly escapes the dangers around it. While the predominantly green pages immerse the reader into the setting of a jungle, the illustrations are varied in design and colour and are offset by a clever use of texture using collage techniques on such things as tree trunks, water, and birds' feathers. This is a picture book that will bring joy and demand repeated rereading, whilst also offering the opportunity to join in with the story.'
-Judges' Comments from the CBCA
'This is such fun to read aloud! ... Lovely deep colours and texture from the ink and gouache artwork are so appealing. Despite the few words, all of the animals have personality and there is happy energy to the frog's adventure. This is a great book of alliterative sounds to read with young children.'
-Youth Services Book Review, starred review
