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The Frog at the Window: A Completely Wild Christmas Tale

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While Katy and her family spend a snowy Christmas away at Grandma's house, a cold and clever little frog jumps at the chance to move into their warm, empty home. Unfortunately, so does every other four-legged forest dweller in the area. With the perfect holiday vacation house overrun with guests, chaos quickly erupts until the group finds a peaceful solution in this wildly enjoyable holiday tale of tails. What begins as a break from the wintery woollyland transforms into an annual holiday tradition of kindness and generosity. The Frog at the Window is a Christmas tale with a message for every season!

64 pages, Hardcover

Published November 3, 2020

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About the author

Scott Langteau

6 books32 followers
Growing up in the small town of Seymour Wisconsin, playtime came ready-made with Scott's 11 brothers and sisters. No lie! Having fun then meant grabbing a sibling, heading outside and imagining a world around you. That imagination brought Scott Theater degrees from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point and Villanova University before bringing him to L.A. where he’s worked as a producer, writer, and actor for over 20 years. Best known for his work on the highly acclaimed “Medal of Honor” & “Call of Duty” video game franchises, Scott has done work for companies including Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, EA Games, and the Jim Henson Company.

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5 stars
26 (50%)
4 stars
17 (32%)
3 stars
7 (13%)
2 stars
2 (3%)
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0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Briar's Reviews.
2,393 reviews589 followers
November 14, 2020
The Frog at the Window: A Completely Wild Christmas Tale is a delightful little picture book to bring some hopping good times your way (haha, puns).

A big snow storm has come through town, and Katy is curled up all warm inside. Suddenly, she looks over and sees a shivering frog outside! This little froggy is gonna make a world of difference for Christmas, just you wait and see. He becomes much like Goldilocks, taking up space in the warm house with lots of amenities about. That sounds great, right? No! More animals make their way inside, because this Christmas is all about the critters. They have all taken up resident until the humans return. This is gonna be one magical, animalistic Christmas.

This book is so utterly cute and such a fun yet goofy ride. This book is set at Christmas time, but feels like the kind of book you can read to anyone during the holidays. The focus is not necessarily Christmas but the antics these animals get into. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, this is a great holiday book. It's all about a young girl giving some warmth to her animal friends. Except, maybe teach your kids to not do that.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shake the Moon Books for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
Profile Image for TL *Humaning the Best She Can*.
2,436 reviews179 followers
November 4, 2020
Didn't feel very Christmasy to me but a Cute story and the narrator had a pleasant voice. Artwork was done well, gave a nice vibe :)

Was a little annoying on my tablet I had to keep zooming in to read the text on the pages. I would suggest reading it on a laptop instead if you can.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
2,359 reviews60 followers
January 10, 2022
If you are like me, a wonderful part of Christmas is pulling out my favorite Christmas books and reading them by the fireplace. Sometimes I even use Christmas books to decorate the house! THE FROG AT THE WINDOW: A COMPLETELY WILD CHRISTMAS TALE is the newest Christmas addition, added to my personal collection, by my dear friend, Scott Langteau.
Once again, Scott has shown his gift of telling a heartwarming imaginative story that will be enjoyed by people of all ages who have the Christmas spirit! In this tale, you fall in love with Katy who is off to Grandma’s house with her parents for Christmas. She drops a mitten which helps frog (who you also fall in love with) to enter her empty house. Then follows a parade of other animals who would like to come in out of the cold. (So clever: while the animals are watching TV we see a scene from ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’.) House rules are established for everyone to get along. I love this call for order!
The illustrations of the animals by Michaela Brannon are priceless! The animals practically jump out of the pages as they party. The fox singing karaoke is adorable. You can spend hours looking at the pages of wonderful character expressions and details.
What happens when two humans stop by with clipboards outside the window of where the animals are living it up? (So clever: when Katy and her parents arrive home they are puzzled to find a BLUE RIBBON on their door.) The story makes way for Katy to assist frog and friends to celebrate in her home annually. This is just a delightful book about enjoying the company of others. In the time of the pandemic, this is bittersweet…we will come out the other side, however, and never take our gatherings for granted again.
My oral review: https://youtu.be/fSmHKh_JJgY
Profile Image for Nicole Shaw.
954 reviews11 followers
November 10, 2020
Rating: 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!!!!!!!!!
Book: The Frog at the Window
Release Date: AVAILABLE NOW-November 3, 2020
Author: Scott Langteau
Genre: Children’s Fiction

A huge smile!! That is what I had on my face as I read this Christmas story. It is such a cute, funny holiday book. I giggled so many times as I read. I love that the book is a rhyming one but not one that seems forced in order to make it rhyme. I am so excited to read this book to my class and my kids.
It is a story about a girl who meets a frog but must go out of town before they can really talk. While the little girl is gone, the frog finds the door open and decides to rest and get warm. Unbeknownst to him, other forest animals also decide to pull a Goldilocks. The rest of the book shows the frog trying to keep them in line and keep the house together. This is such a sweet, light-hearted book that should be added to your Christmas holiday reads.

Thank you to @NetGalley, @ShakeTheMoonBooks, and @slangteau for an advanced copy of @TheFrogAtTheWindow

#SLangteau #TheFrogAtTheWindow #ShakeTheMoonBooks #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #AmazonReads #childrensfiction #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #teacher #educator #classroomreads
1 review3 followers
September 23, 2020
If you are planning on purchasing a Christmas book for a child this year, let it be this one! Such a fun story that will spark your child’s imagination about what happens when you leave to visit family at Christmastime! I cannot wait to share it with my students! 💚❤️🎄🐸
Profile Image for Sara.
298 reviews30 followers
November 10, 2020
Katy and her family spend a week away at her grandmother's house for Christmas. When she accidentally leaves the door open, a frog and all the other forest animals decide to spend their Christmas in the warmth of her house. With so many animals there are bound to be problems, but in true Christmas spirit, they all compromise and have a great holiday stay.

I absolutely adored the illustrations in this book! The amount of detail on every page was immaculate, it looks like a lot of thought was put into it. One of the first pages included an image of the frog leaning against the window, at the end of the story you see a picture of a frog in this exact same pose which is what inspired the story. You can also tell how the illustrator added movement within the images. It’s details like these that I love to see in books. The colors, amazing. The details, amazing. I really can’t rave enough about it.

I thought the story was very cute. In the beginning, when the animals kept coming into the house it gave me “The Mitten” by Jan Brett vibes because the frog just wanted to have a warm place to himself but more and more animals keep showing up. I absolutely loved the scene where the house was being judged in the decorating contest and the animals decided to pose, hilarious. I also love the little “Easter eggs” hidden throughout. For example, when the bears come into the house they are talking about the bed, referring to Goldilocks in the 3 Bears. Again, it’s details like these that I absolutely love to see in children’s books.

I think this book is great and any child would find it entertaining. I was smiling while reading it so a child is sure to love it. I 100% recommend it!
Profile Image for Westveil Books.
694 reviews61 followers
November 18, 2020
I was granted access to an eARC of The Frog at the Window by Shake the Moon Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not swayed my opinion. My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

The Frog at the Window is the adorable rhyming tale of local wildlife settling in as unlikely roommates for the holidays while Katy and her family are away at her grandmother's house. The story is so fun and charming, complete with a cute reference to Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, and I love how the illustrations add to the literary nods. (The fox in the Robin Hood outfit was my favourite!)

I can see this becoming a cherished Christmas favourite for countless kids and families, and I will absolutely make sure the parents and teachers in my life know about it.
Profile Image for Emilee (emileereadsbooks).
1,598 reviews42 followers
November 9, 2020
Thank to NetGalley and Shake the Moon Books for a free digital copy for my review.

A very imaginative story about some animals making a human house their home over the holidays. I wasn't sure about this one at first but with the lovely illustrations and an amusing story, this one had me smiling as I turned the last page. A fun an original Christmas tale.
Profile Image for Victoria Jackson.
628 reviews27 followers
November 9, 2020
This is a lovely story for the run up to Christmas. The illustrations are beautiful and give off a warm, Christmassy feeling. I read this to my 4 year old son and we both loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC.
Profile Image for Scott Langteau.
Author 6 books32 followers
September 29, 2020
I'm posting this review based on the conclusion of the first three industry reviews of "The Frog at the Window" from Kirkus Reviews, Reedsy, and Reader's Favorite...who all had the following to say about this new Christmas title:

"The action appropriately snowballs in this uproariously funny seasonal romp." - Kirkus

"5 Stars, MUST READ: A magical Christmas story that will bring a warm smile to even the most cynical heart. It's simple and will bring joy to young and old." -Reedsy Discovery

"5 Stars, ...a magical story set against the backdrop of the Christmas season."

Thank you for checking it out!


Profile Image for Tarissa.
1,615 reviews83 followers
November 14, 2020
What a hilarious, romping holiday tale! It starts with one frog seeking out a warm place to stay during Christmas, and he finds a whole house to takeover all by himself when Katy's family leaves for their Christmas week plans. Little does Frog know, all the other wild forest animals are going to come takeover his vacation pad.

SUPER FUN and CUTE! Would appeal to both boys and girls alike.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest opinion.
Profile Image for Mary.
1,428 reviews42 followers
January 1, 2021
A completely charming and very funny holiday picture book. It all starts with a frog at the window... When the family leaves their house for a visit to Grandmother's, a frog, then other animals, take advantage of an open door for a little holiday vacation of their own.

Our friend and an extraordinary librarian, Elizabeth T. inspired the author and introduced my family to this gem of a book. Reading it will be a holiday tradition.
Profile Image for Vanessa.
841 reviews59 followers
January 15, 2024
Step into the enchanting world of "The Frog at the Window" by Scott Langteau, where holiday magic meets the charm of unexpected guests and heartwarming traditions. As I delved into this cozy Christmas tale, I found myself transported to a whimsical land filled with warmth, laughter, and a dash of froggy flair.

Katy and her family embark on a snowy Christmas adventure at Grandma's house, leaving their home temporarily vacant. Little do they know, a cold but clever frog seizes the chance to turn their cozy abode into his personal winter haven. The delightful chaos that ensues, with a parade of woodland creatures seeking refuge, unfolds into a heartening story of togetherness and holiday cheer.

Langteau's storytelling is a treat, effortlessly capturing the magic of the season. The characters, both human and amphibian, come to life with vivid descriptions and endearing personalities. The frog, in particular, is not just any amphibian; he's a charismatic, clever, and utterly lovable creature that adds a touch of wild charm to the festive tale.

The illustrations, akin to a festive tapestry, are a visual feast. Each page is adorned with lively depictions of the snowy landscape, the bustling animal community, and the heartwarming moments shared by the characters. The art style is not just visually appealing but also perfectly complements the cozy atmosphere of the narrative.

One of the aspects that struck a chord with me was the underlying message of kindness and generosity. What begins as a comical predicament turns into an annual tradition of warmth and sharing. The story beautifully conveys the spirit of the season, emphasizing the importance of open hearts and a sense of community.

As I turned the pages, I couldn't help but be swept away by the delightful fusion of festive joy and unexpected friendships. "The Frog at the Window" is not just a Christmas tale; it's a timeless reminder that the true magic of the season lies in embracing the spirit of giving, sharing, and creating cherished traditions.
Profile Image for Joey.
1,434 reviews48 followers
November 8, 2020
Thank you so much to NetGalley and bookbuzz for the ebook to read and review.

Katy’s family go away to her grans for Christmas and she dropped her mitten by the door, a frog jumps in and gets cosy and warm. Then soon a whole load of other animals join getting settled out of the storm. They cause a whole mess by celebrating Christmas together, but enjoy it and get along just the same.

This was a very interesting Christmas book, I can’t say I’d read a Christmas book like this one. It was really sweet and funny, the characters were really great and kind. It’s got a lot that kids can enjoy and think about whilst reading leaving them to wonder.

The illustrations were incredible and so finely detailed, you could see everything down to the facial expressions to what Christmas movie was clearly being shown on tv.

9,698 reviews138 followers
November 7, 2020
A warm, whimsical piece for the festive season, with a frog able to take advantage of a human home when he manages to access the insecure property and make it his own for the holidays – and inspire an entire menagerie to join him. A lot of times the beat of the rhyming text threw me off, for it's missed quite regularly, but on the whole the script will read well. Stronger still, though, is the artwork, presenting almost as 3D with a wonderful use of depth of field. It has variety in the use of small cameo images, and intentional lack of variety in returning to the same fixed viewpoint at key times, and while it does make the human heroine look about twenty years old, it's a winner. It's what makes this book a four-star success in my mind.
Profile Image for ThisBishReads.
32 reviews2 followers
November 20, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book. My opinions are my own.

The Frog at the Window is a lovely Christmas tale inspired by a real life photo, about what our wild animal friends might be up to while we're away visiting family for the holidays!

Fun and imaginative, The Frog at the Window immediately captured my heart with its lively and colorful illustrations. The prose has a wonderful beat which accompanies its story as every woodland creature you can think of takes over the family home, just in time for a ruckus Christmas party!

While simple in its plot, this children's book is full of heart and fun. I highly recommend it to every family who enjoys a good holiday nighttime story.
Profile Image for Alissa .
875 reviews10 followers
November 25, 2020
I was given a copy of this book for my honest review by NetGalley.

Oh golly gee, how adorable is this story! My four year old had me reading it almost daily to her and we have it on our holiday book wish list for the hard copy of this year. You will be coming back to read this one over and over again for years to come.
Profile Image for Brigita.
Author 18 books21 followers
November 25, 2020
This was a lovely holiday read with vibrant illustrations and a warm story about animals partying for Christmas. Children will appreciate the message of spreading the holiday cheer and making sure everyone has a good time. The picture book is on the longer side and is therefore more appropriate for slightly older audience.
Profile Image for Donna Maguire.
5,723 reviews126 followers
November 30, 2020
I thought that this book was lovely and it was a wonderful Christmas story!

The story was fun and I loved the different illustrations in the book, they really brought the story to life.

I am a sucker for kids books with animals and Christmas and this had both!

It is 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended!
Profile Image for Katie.
762 reviews3 followers
November 16, 2020
If you have a lover of animals, they would probably enjoy this Christmas story. Where the wildlife live together in harmony inside a young girl's home to celebrate Christmas..
"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
Profile Image for JLynn.
Author 28 books62 followers
November 16, 2020
Such a fun and unique Christmas story. It's very hard to find holiday books that aren't reindeer, Santa, snowmen and penguins. This was a fun find. My 8 year old loved it and we will definitely be reading it a few times this Christmas season. A magical story and great illustration
Profile Image for Bria.
83 reviews6 followers
November 20, 2020
This was an adorable little tale of the woodland animals taking over a home while the family was away for the holidays. The illustrations were a perfect depiction of the words and it flowed well from start to finish. My kids enjoyed it, as did I. Would recommend to a friend!
396 reviews14 followers
December 10, 2020
The frog at the window has found a home for himself and his new friends. This book is a fun christmas story with vibrant illustrations. Kids will love the animals shenanigans. My only critique is that I wish the font were larger.
Profile Image for Jenifer Clemins.
70 reviews
December 24, 2022
This year I got into reading Christmas picture books I forgot the joy short stories bring. The joy of reading can be found in any book not just certain genres or types. Sometimes it’s nice to try something new to read than long novels
Profile Image for Krystle.
383 reviews
November 8, 2020
Very cute story to read to the little ones just in time for Christmas.
*Thanks to BookBuzz.net and NetGalley for this Ebook in exchange for my honest review
Profile Image for Shauna Morrison.
2,581 reviews6 followers
December 22, 2020
The illustrations in this book are so colorful and bright, they were awesome. This is a fun book about a group of animals making themselves a home in a house while the family is away. It is a fun Christmas tale to share with your little ones.

Thank you NetGalley for the DRC.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews