An effervescent pop-up version of the familiar tale of the wide-mouthed frog who blithely asks each animal he meets what it likes to eat, including an alligator who says that he eats wide- mouthed frogs. The frightened frog purses his lips as tightly as possible and beats a hasty retreat. This storyteller favorite is traditionally told with comical facial expressions and voices to match; here, a similar effect is achieved with a clever use of typeface. Lambert's jolly, oversized illustrations feature lots of comic touches and lend themselves perfectly to the paper engineering: the frog's wide mouth and sticky tongue (complete with fly), a bird's pointy beak, a mouse's snout and whiskers, the alligator's snapping jaws (which extend a full nine inches from the page), and, at the scene of the frog's escape, an enormous ``SPLASH!'' A good pop-up for the very young, the book is printed on heavy stock and the special effects don't need to be manipulated: They move when the pages are turned. In fact, the animals ``talk'' like puppets when the open book is flexed slightly. More durable and economical than many of its type, this one is also great fun. (Picture book/folklore. 2-6)
