''Frog and Toad All Year'' is an American

picture book A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. With the narrative told primarily through text, they are distinct from comics, which do so primarily through sequential images. The ima ...

written and illustrated by

Arnold Lobel Arnold Stark Lobel (May 22, 1933 – December 4, 1987) was an American author of children's books, including the ''Frog and Toad'' series and '' Mouse Soup''. He wrote and illustrated these picture books as well as ''Fables'', a 1981 Caldecott Me ...

, published by

Harper & Row Harper is an American publishing house, the flagship imprint of global publisher HarperCollins, based in New York City. Founded in New York in 1817 by James Harper and his brother John, the company operated as J. & J. Harper until 1833, when ...

in 1976. It is the third book in the

Frog and Toad ''Frog and Toad'' is a series of easy-reader Children's literature, children's books, written and illustrated by American author Arnold Lobel. Each book contains five simple, often humorous, sometimes poignant, short stories chronicling the ex ...

series, whose four books completed by Lobel each comprises five easy-to-read short stories.

Characters

The two friends, Frog and Toad, are portrayed by the author with human-like personalities and amphibian appearance. The situations in which they find themselves are a cross between the human and animal worlds. Along with Lobel's other Frog and Toad books, ''Frog and Toad All Year'' is valued by experts in children's literature for its portrayal of the value of friendship.

Summary

Friends Frog and Toad, who have quite different personalities, have adventures through the seasons...

Down the Hill

Frog invites Toad to go sledding with him, though Toad does not want to, but is forced to against his will. The trip doesn't go as planned after Frog falls off the sled as it goes out of control. Afterwards, Toad opts to continue spending Winter indoors.

The Corner

One rainy day in Frog's house, Frog recalls how he searched for Spring around various corners when he was very young, but found nothing. He eventually found it around the corner of his house. This prompts him and Toad to do another search around Frog's house after the rain clears.

Ice Cream

Toad finds himself in a sticky situation when he buys ice cream cones for himself and Frog, one hot Summer day. The ice cream pours over him, making him look like a monster the scares away nearby animals. He eventually falls into the lake, washing the ice cream. He and Frog buy new cones soon afterwards.

The Surprise

Frog and Toad secretly sneak out to rake the other's leaves. However, an Autumn wind gives the two an even bigger surprise.

Christmas Eve

Toad becomes concerned when Frog is late for their Christmas celebration, and considers some horrific possibilities, such as thinking that Frog either fell into a hole, got lost in the woods, or was attacked and possibly eaten by a big animal with sharp teeth. Deciding to help, he finds a rope to get Frog out of the hole, a lantern to help Frog find his way out of the woods, and a frying pan to hit the big animal with to make its teeth fall out. Once outside, he finds Frog alive and well. It turns out Frog had simply taken some extra time to wrap a Christmas present. Once inside, Toad opens his present, which is a new clock to replace his broken old one. The two then spend the holiday together.

Adaptations

The book has been adapted as a musical, written by Willie and Robert Reale and entitled ''

A Year with Frog and Toad ''A Year With Frog and Toad'' is a musical written by brothers Robert (music) and Willie Reale (book and lyrics), based on the ''Frog and Toad'' children's stories written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel. The musical follows the woodland advent ...

'', opened on Broadway, and was also performed by the Second Story Repertory, by Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, and by the Chicago Children's Theatre, among others. The stories have also been produced as an audio book.

Reception

''Frog and Toad All Year'' won a

Christopher Award The Christopher Award (established 1949) is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, films and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit". It is given by The Christophers, a Christian organizatio ...

in 1977. It is listed in the ''New York Times'' Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children. ''Kirkus Reviews'' wrote, "We miss some of the resonant psychological heft of this pair's previous experiences, but Frog and Toad can still transform the most ordinary seasonal activities into celebrations."

References

External links

* {{isfdb name, 176002, Arnold Lobel 1976 children's books American picture books Books about frogs Children's books about friendship Picture books by Arnold Lobel Harper & Row books