A Spoonful of Frogs
written by Casey Lyall
illustrated by Vera Brosgol
Greenwillow Books, 2022. 36 pages.
Review written September 21, 2022, from a library book
Starred Review
I’m a big fan of the art of Caldecott Honor illustrator Vera Brosgol, and this picture book is full of her signature humor and charm.
In the set-up, we’ve got a nicely-dressed witch appearing on a cooking show, “Bewitching Kitchen,” demonstrating how to make “a witch’s favorite treat” — Frog Soup. After all the other ingredients go into the cauldron:
The last and most important ingredient is a spoonful of frogs.
This will add a kick of flavor and a pop of color.
But it turns out that getting frogs to stay on a spoon is not an easy task. And that’s what the majority of the book is about — chasing frogs, trying to get them on the spoon, with the frogs hopping every which way. When she thinks she finally has them — well, things don’t work out.
And it’s all good silly fun. Lots and lots of opportunities for Vera Brosgol to insert her wonderful visual humor.
Even though I don’t work in a library branch any more, I still look at a book like this and see wonderful opportunities for story time. I predict this will get a roomful of preschoolers or Kindergartners laughing.
Like Frog Soup, I recommend that you enjoy this book with friends.
caseylyall.com
verabee.com
harpercollinschildrens.com
Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/spoonful_of_frogs.html
Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.
Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.
What did you think of this book?