FREDDY THE FROGCASTER AND THE HUGE HURRICANE

Budding weatherfrog Freddy makes his television debut as a hurricane roars over Lilypad.

Garish red and yellow images appearing on the radar screens at the Frog News Network signal that it’s time for Lilypad’s residents to board up windows, get the lawn furniture inside, and head for the safety of the town Frogatorium. Except, that is, for Freddy, who joins his weathercasting colleagues, Sally Croaker and Polly Woggins, to track Tropical Storm Andrea as it strengthens to a hurricane and heads for landfall. Though the radar image looks ominous and Polly submits an outdoor report clinging to a signpost as the wind blows her off her webbed feet, Cox’s cartoon images of a popeyed, froggy cast in human dress calmly preparing for the storm underplay the danger in favor of a focus on being ready and staying informed. Freddy’s first on-screen Frog News Alert goes over without a hitch, and when the hurricane passes (leaving but minor damage, aside from an overturned car), he predicts “toad-ally awesome” weather for a trip to the beach. Dean caps the episode with simply written comments about how hurricanes form and are categorized, historical tidbits, the difference between a “watch” and a “warning,” and more detail on preparing for a storm.

Common-sense attitude and advice, sunnily conveyed.