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Frog and Friends #5
Outdoor Surprises
Welcome to Frog and his world. He enjoys nothing better than spending time floating on his pond or visiting with his friends. He appreciates the simpler things in life and would prefer that things stay just the way they are--nice and peaceful. From acclaimed children's writer Eve Bunting comes a beginning reader series featuring the delightful Frog and his friends Rabbit, Possum, Raccoon, and Squirrel. In Outdoor Surprises Frog eagerly joins a singing group, helps Squirrel rescue a baby bird, and provides a voice of reason when his woodland friends are scared by a nighttime story.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Eve Bunting
311 books409 followersAlso known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.
Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.
Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.
In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.
Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.
Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.
In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 21, 2019
Frog and his friends decide to put on a singing concert, but as the concert nears Frog gets a sore throat and cannot sing, but he still finds a way to entertain the crowd. Frog and his friends rescue a baby bird who's nest has fallen from a tree. At midnight Frog and his friends sat around his pond, and listened to a big scary story told by little Jumping Mouse, and what a scare they had.
June 15, 2023
Three short stories. The problem was that with seven characters the stories were very quick. One was a bird rescue and one was a night camping.
The book could be improved with better illustrations as well. The hippo was a little confusing.
The book could be improved with better illustrations as well. The hippo was a little confusing.
May 16, 2018
Frog and friends hold a singing contest even though frog loses his voice, help a baby robin get back home, and learn about scary stories.
January 21, 2023
I liked when they told spooky stories.
December 13, 2013
Outdoor Surprises is an entry in a series that's been running since 2011, and contains three stories about Frog and the other animals who live near his pond. I liked the first one the best, in which Frog organizes a community concert, but must figure out what to do after a sore throat robs him of his singing voice on the eve of the concert.
The book is by Eve Bunting, who is now in the fifth decade of her writing career. Though she's never won any of the major ALA awards, she has picked up an Edgar (Coffin on a Case!, 1993 award) and a Golden Kite (One More Flight, 1977 award), and was the author of the text for Smoky Night, which won illustrator David Díaz the 1995 Caldecott. I have fond memories of reading The Mask and The Mirror Planet when I was a child. In other words, she's no slouch, and her books deserve to be taken seriously.
And yet, Outdoor Surprises is illustrative, because it serves to showcase that hard-to-define but real line between good and great. It's a fine book, one that I wouldn't mind reading to a child or recommending to a parent. But the characters in Outdoor Surprises seem flat, with many of the secondary characters becoming virtually indistinguishable. Easy readers rarely have a truly original plot, meaning that they often live and die by the characters and the small details associated with them. Indeed, some of the most iconic characters in children's literature come from easy readers: the Cat in the Hat, Frog and Toad, Elephant and Piggie, Little Bear. While we may someday think of Penny that way, I think it's highly unlikely that Frog and Friends will hit the mark.
This isn't to say that Outdoor Surprises is a disappointment -- it's winsome in its own way, and the illustrations (by Josée Masse, who also worked on this year's Follow Follow) are beautiful. But I doubt that this title, or the rest of the books in the series, will merit anything other than a minor mention in Eve Bunting's career summaries.
A longer version of this review appears at abouttomock.blogspot.com
The book is by Eve Bunting, who is now in the fifth decade of her writing career. Though she's never won any of the major ALA awards, she has picked up an Edgar (Coffin on a Case!, 1993 award) and a Golden Kite (One More Flight, 1977 award), and was the author of the text for Smoky Night, which won illustrator David Díaz the 1995 Caldecott. I have fond memories of reading The Mask and The Mirror Planet when I was a child. In other words, she's no slouch, and her books deserve to be taken seriously.
And yet, Outdoor Surprises is illustrative, because it serves to showcase that hard-to-define but real line between good and great. It's a fine book, one that I wouldn't mind reading to a child or recommending to a parent. But the characters in Outdoor Surprises seem flat, with many of the secondary characters becoming virtually indistinguishable. Easy readers rarely have a truly original plot, meaning that they often live and die by the characters and the small details associated with them. Indeed, some of the most iconic characters in children's literature come from easy readers: the Cat in the Hat, Frog and Toad, Elephant and Piggie, Little Bear. While we may someday think of Penny that way, I think it's highly unlikely that Frog and Friends will hit the mark.
This isn't to say that Outdoor Surprises is a disappointment -- it's winsome in its own way, and the illustrations (by Josée Masse, who also worked on this year's Follow Follow) are beautiful. But I doubt that this title, or the rest of the books in the series, will merit anything other than a minor mention in Eve Bunting's career summaries.
A longer version of this review appears at abouttomock.blogspot.com
July 16, 2013
The three stories in this early reader book feature Frog and his friends who deal with a throat ailment, come to the rescue of a baby bird, and find a new friend after listening to scary stories by the campfire. New readers will enjoy the friendship among all these animals.
April 27, 2014
I loved this book! There are three stories starring Frog, each one demonstrating his pleasure in being with his friends and having fun. His life is simple and nonmaterialistic. Great beginner book!
November 8, 2016
I enjoyed this book because somebody named 'Little Jumping Mouse' tells a story. I also enjoyed this book because I like fireflies. I also enjoyed this book there were fireflies.
February 9, 2017
AR Quiz No. 161428 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 2.3 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 2.3 - AR Pts: 0.5
March 7, 2019
This was pretty good: totally transported.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews