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FROGGY FOR PRESIDENT!

Name: FROGGY FOR PRESIDENT!
Author: Jonathan London
ISBN: 978-0-451-47948-8

From the Froggy series

by Jonathan London ; illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 12, 2020

A lighter take on elections that’s full of Froggy favorites.

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The irrepressible Froggy runs for class president.

Froggy, seeing a poster at school for the class-president election, decides to run. When his teacher, Ms. Witherspoon, asks him what his platform is, he—in the silly humor readers have come to expect from Froggy—hops onto his desk and says, “This is!” After Ms. Witherspoon offers clarification, Froggy aims for more recess and snacks. Meanwhile, Frogilina also decides to run for class president, and her well-thought-out platform addresses issues of a more socially conscious nature. The familiar shticks of Froggy forgetting to put his clothes on, first seen in Froggy Gets Dressed (1992), and Froggy’s mother yelling “Frrooggyy”—seen in nearly all 29 previous Froggy books—are on display here, as is, of course, frequent onomatopoeia as Froggy makes his way through the day. They don’t feel worn, however—they feel like comfortable old friends. Remkiewicz’s brightly colored illustrations make excellent use of a variety of presentations—spots, full-page bleeds, and double-page spreads—and the lively cast of characters that inhabits Froggy-world does double duty as supporting characters and as visual segues to page turns. Other than a final endpaper showing Froggy and Frogilina holding a “Vote” sign, the empowerment aspect of voting isn’t addressed; rather, the story hints at the importance of wise platforms and endorses the idea of working together.

A lighter take on elections that’s full of Froggy favorites. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: May 12, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-451-47948-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
HERE COMES TRUCK DRIVER HIPPO
by Jonathan London ; illustrated by Gilles Eduar

- BOOK REVIEW
FROGGY PICKS A PUMPKIN
by Jonathan London ; illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SECRET VALENTINE
by Jonathan London illustrated by Andrew Joyner

- PERSPECTIVES
Some Picture Books Worth Voting For

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DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE SLEIGH!

by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2023

A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.

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Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.

This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”

A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023

ISBN: 9781454952770

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE FRUSTRATING BOOK!
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

- BOOK REVIEW
THE PIGEON WILL RIDE THE ROLLER COASTER!
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

- BOOK REVIEW
IT'S A SIGN!
by Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey with Mo Willems ; illustrated by Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey

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PIRATES DON'T TAKE BATHS

by John Segal and illustrated by John Segal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2011

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Echoes of Runaway Bunny color this exchange between a bath-averse piglet and his patient mother. Using a strategy that would probably be a nonstarter in real life, the mother deflects her stubborn offspring’s string of bath-free occupational conceits with appeals to reason: “Pirates NEVER EVER take baths!” “Pirates don’t get seasick either. But you do.” “Yeesh. I’m an astronaut, okay?” “Well, it is hard to bathe in zero gravity. It’s hard to poop and pee in zero gravity too!” And so on, until Mom’s enticing promise of treasure in the deep sea persuades her little Treasure Hunter to take a dive. Chunky figures surrounded by lots of bright white space in Segal’s minimally detailed watercolors keep the visuals as simple as the plotline. The language isn’t quite as basic, though, and as it rendered entirely in dialogue—Mother Pig’s lines are italicized—adult readers will have to work hard at their vocal characterizations for it to make any sense. Moreover, younger audiences (any audiences, come to that) may wonder what the piggy’s watery closing “EUREKA!!!” is all about too. Not particularly persuasive, but this might coax a few young porkers to get their trotters into the tub. (Picture book. 4-6)