There's Nothing to Do!

I Don't Want to Be a Frog

by Dev Petty, Mike Boldt (Illustrations)

Young Frog learns an unexpected lesson about how NOT to be bored.
Frog is bored. He can't find ANYTHING to do--even when his animal friends make good suggestions, like sleeping all day, licking between his toes, or hopping around and then staring off into space. Will he find a fun and exciting way to spend his day?

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Animals, Childrens, Humor, Storytime, Young Readers

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2017

About the author

Dev writes books for kids which are also often enjoyed by immature adults.

She was a senior visual effects artist in film and is now- thanks to her husband, daughters and pets, fully recovered from her chronic workaholism.

She is also good at word jumbles. Really good.

Dev was born in Berkeley, California and now lives pretty much in Berkeley, California.

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might just be my favorite in the FROG series!! As always, hilarious.

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "There's Nothing to Do," there is a little frog and he is BORED. He believes there's nothing to do and everything everyone else in the book suggests is even more boring than the suggestion before.

My girls are too young to understand what being bored is but oh, do I remember complaining about being bored to my parents when I was little. This is a very common situation. The book has a good message about coming up with things to do and thinking in such a way that you'll never be bored.

The standout in the book for me is the illustrations. They are great! The animals are adorable and the pictures are so funny. My girls loved naming all of the animals and pointing out what they were doing.

This was a great book and definitely one that my girls love revisiting over and over again!

[Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think we can all relate to when we were bored out of our minds because there was nothing to do despite all the options available to us. The young frog experiences this dilemma and comes to the conclusion- with a little help from his friends- that nothing may be the best thing to do sometimes!

[Sana · Rating 4 out of 5]

خییییییلی خوبه🐸🐸

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this 3rd book in the Frog series! This Frog cracks me up, and all three books will have kids laughing along. Appreciate the sweet message in this one about being bored/having nothing to do.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frog doesn’t want to do anything. Swimming, nah. Play with toys, nope. He has an excuse for every suggestion from his family. When he goes to his friends to help him find something to do, he's even more frustrated. Nothing anyone says appeals to him. It seems that just because a friend wants to do something, it doesn’t mean that Frog wants to do it too. He realizes the day is almost over, and he didn’t do anything at all. He's distraught until someone asks him why he has to do “something”. They tell him to put NOTHING on his to do list, and then check it off when he’s done.

Will Frog like doing nothing? Will he get anything out of it? I bet you know the answer, but you should read the book to find out exactly what happens.

There’s Nothing to Do written by Dev Petty and illustrated by Mike Boldt is a book that will make you laugh. We all know someone like Frog who can’t find something to do, but they won't take any suggestions. I love how Frog realized that doing nothing is not only okay, but a lot of fun! I look around and think people seem stressed, always busy doing something, but there is joy and peace in not being busy. People would be happier if they watched the sky or sat and enjoyed the sound of nature each day.

The book has beautiful pictures with bright colors and appealing images. I think that parents, teachers and babysitters would want this book on hand for the times that kids are feeling anxious to be busy. Best of all- I think after reading the book people everywhere should put “NOTHING” on their to do lists. What an accomplishment!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of us have been there a time or two--bored and disinterested in anything we might do to distract ourselves. In this picture book, a young frog rejects all of his father's suggestions for how he could spend his time and then looks to his friends for some possibilities. Nothing seems to work, but he does manage to come up with a great idea--to him!--about how to spend the next day when he's supposed to go to school. The use of dialogue bubbles between the characters keeps the story line minimal and the focus on the young amphibian's search for amusement. I enjoyed the interactions with his friends whose suggestions are dismissed quickly, but the ending left me less than intrigued. Youngsters will enjoy this one, though, which is fine since I'm not the intended audience for the book. I loved the facial expressions on all of the animals.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Petty, Dev There’s Nothing To Do! PICTURE BOOK. Illustrated by Mike Boldt. Doubleday (Random), 2017. $17.

Frog is bored and no one can suggest anything that can cure it. Then he finally listens to another frog and finds a way to pass the day.

While think this might be a book about mindfulness, and no matter how cute the pictures are, it doesn’t quite work. First of all, several other animals suggest the same type of thing that the final frog does. Why he finally listens to another frog, I d o not understand. Secondly, if this book was supposed to teach mindfulness, that part is actually so short, that I don’t think anyone would learn mindfulness from reading it.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...

[Ersa S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea of being satisfied with doing nothing, a wonderful message for anyone who has a hard time being "okay" without having something productive to do. I struggle regularly with the thought that I have to be doing SOMETHING all the time. Whether it's chores, reading, watching/ playing with my kids, or even being productive while I'm relaxing. I find it really hard to just do nothing.

This little book helps show us that doing nothing is doing something! By allowing our bodies to rest and recharge by being allows us to clear our minds and maybe find what it is that we are looking for. I don't know that I will include this in a library storytime setting, just cause my kids are a little young for this format of book, but I would love to read it to my sons at home.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe because I've had to deal with this in real life and I have little tolerance/patience for it (if you've been ever told by a grown-up person: "Only bored people are boring" as you were coming up as a child then you learn quickly to amuse yourself!). Maybe because I found the two previous other books by this author to be whiny and irritating and had little tolerance/patience for them. (YES, I KNOW. People LOVE them. They FALL DOWN over themselves to praise them. Blargh.)

Yes, I understand. This is how kids are. Yep. I got it. Kids get bored. Kids don't want to grow up. Kids don't want to be themselves. Check.

These books just make me shudder. Cute illustrations though.

[Andrex · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many times have you heard your child say, "There's nothing to do!"? Grab this book and enjoy the read. Frog doesn't know what to do. He can think of lots of things but doesn't want to do them. Other frogs provide suggestions but they are no good for Frog so he decides to ask some of his friends. Will Rabbit, Cat, Owl or Pig be an inspiration to him?

A little tongue in cheek, this is a fun book for young ones. The illustrations are wonderful with the font large and colorful. I borrowed this book from our local library. I was not required to write a review but chose to do so. Thanks and happy reading! Liz

[Dena McMurdie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the latest picture book in the I Don’t Want to Be a Frog series for children. I’ve never read the other books, but I’ve seen them around.

There’s Nothing To Do is about boredom (obviously). Frog doesn’t want to do any of his usual activities and he’s not interested in anyone else’s suggestions. With a little encouragement, Frog clears his mind and looks at the beauty around him. Only then does he discover that having nothing to do is a wonderful adventure.

This is a charming story and I love the illustrations. Of course, I especially love the message that sometimes boredom is best. It gives you the chance to appreciate life, nature, and the little things.

[Becky B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frog is bored and is sent on a hunt to find something to do. He eliminates many of his friends' suggestions, until he finds the perfect activity.

Hmmm, I'm guessing this is supposed to come off as ironic or sarcastic or a message that sometimes it is good to just have a moment of peace and enjoy the world, but it just feels meh. It feels more like a license to be lazy. Not the greatest message. His friends' suggestions and his reactions to each were fun, but the ending left something to be desired. If the message was to stop and enjoy the quiet, it needed a clearer delivery. Just meh.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The universality of being bored will definitely be familiar to kids who read this fun picture book. And I can definitely relate to the frustration of complaining to a parent of your boredom only to be given suggestions of chores that could be done around the house. The little frog in this book looks everywhere for something fun to do, and it seems as though nobody does anything interesting. Young readers will have a fun time reading to see what he winds up doing. Bright, humorous illustrations will add to the fun of this book!

[Read Ribbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third in Dev Petty's stories of the complaining frog character who first didn't want to be a frog, then didn't want to be big, and now can't find something to do. Inquiry sets him on a journey to talk with other animals about what he could do. The use of talking bubbles sets it up for partner reading and a good model for young writers. Cleverly illustrated, kids will like the book and its companion volumes. Probably more to come!

[Brigitte Brulz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most kids can relate to little frog's dilemma of not knowing what to do. The suggestions of some of frog's friends made my daughters and I laugh out loud as we read this together. I was a little disappointed with the ending; however, overall I thought it was a cute and entertaining book to read with my daughters. Make sure to read pig's to do list on the inside back cover- that also made us laugh a little.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book about a frog who can't decide what he wants to do today and spend the whole day wondering around looking or something to do. In the end he discovers that just looking at nature is as rewarding as doing something all day.

This is a good book for children who have trouble making up their minds about what they want to do.

This would be good for a unit on what to do when you are bored.

The book would also be good for a shortened school day.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young frog complains that there is nothing to do and rejects many of the things his father and friends suggests he do. When one friend suggests he meditates because the point is to do nothing, he latches onto the idea of planning out nothing to do the following day (which happens to be a school day).

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frog is back and this time... he's got nothing to do! Yep, bored as a log in a mudpit. Oh sure, he's got ideas but what good are they when he doesn't want to do any one them?! Good thing his friends can show him the way while reminding us all that sometimes nothing is the best thing to do!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this one are great! Loved the message to "just be". In today's world it seems like kids always need to be entertained and doing something. What's wrong with just enjoying your surroundings or who you're with?

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pictures were cute the dialog was fun, this would be fun to do for a story time with two people. The end was probably one of the most funniest things about the book. This might be the first book that I have read by this author, but I had a good time.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of 2.5 stars for me - it was better than "okay," but I didn't LIKE like it. The illustrations are fun, but it seemed a little on the whiny side for me. (But boy do I remember those days where I can think of tons to do, but nothing sounds fun!)

[Juliana Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Frog complains about having nothing to do. Nothing his father suggests sounds interesting. Nothing his friends suggest sounds interesting. Then he learns that sitting around doing nothing is exactly what he wants to do... all day tomorrow!

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are in a slightly different style than other frog books by this author. It's more 3D-looking, and it's very nice! The story is pretty good; my favorite part is Pig's list of things to do when he can't think of anything to do.

[Keri Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best thing about this book are the bold and primary colored illustrations. There was a good point for kids to settle down in our face paced world and just enjoy the day. I don’t think kids will purposely choose this book as the story is a little lackluster.

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 2 out of 5]

Funny look at how we all feel when we are bored, and tried to hit on the idea it’s powerful to sometimes do nothing, but not sure I even understood what he learned in the end. Pretty rough if an adult doesn’t understand the “ah-ha” moment of a picture book.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frog has a bout of boredom, and can't seem to find anything to do. His friends all offer him suggestions, but nothing seems to lift him from his doldrums. It's not until a simple suggestion is made, that Frog's day gets better.

[Sierra Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fun book to read or have a young reader read to you. The ending of the book is super funny! (hint: he does end up finding something to do, but its not what you would think!) I had fun reading this book and the illustrations are great.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A frog complains that there is nothing to do all day (really there is a lot he can do, but he shoots down every idea.) Then he learns he can just sit, be, do nothing. Really, it's not bad to sometimes just sit, rest your mind, and enjoy some nature.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got to read this thanks to Edelweiss.

All I can say is this little frog GETS a teacher on summer break. He really does. May not have been the original goal but he gets it.

Too cute.