Once Upon A Time... there was a Thirsty Frog: A Tale About Sharing

by D.K. Publishing, Maja Andersen (Illustrations)

Discover the Aboriginal Australian myth about a very thirsty frog named Tiddalik! The perfect bedtime story that will teach children the importance of sharing.

Introduce your little one to world cultures and folklore through this exciting fairytale. The charming story of a very thirsty frog will give your child magical dreams and teach them a precious life lesson.

Inside the colorful children's book ideal for 3-to-5-year olds, you'll

- Beautiful, vibrant illustrations that bring the stories to life.
- Simple text ideal for reading aloud, and for bedtime.
- Introduction to a lesser-known folk tale and stories for young children.
- A reference section at the end of the book that explains the cultural history behind each story.

Once Upon a Time... there was a Thirsty Frog follows the tale of the very thirsty frog who drank all the water in the land! Tiddalik, the frog, has to learn how to share so that the other animals can also quench their thirst. What will the other animals do? Will Tiddalik ever learn how to share?

Tuck your toddler or preschooler in with this charming retelling of the Aboriginal Australian story beautifully illustrated by Maja Andersen, bringing the fairy tale to life. Embark on an inspiring journey with Tiddalik, and teach your child emotional intelligence and the dangers of being selfish.

Go on a journey around the world with these new illustrated fables and novels that make the perfect addition to any child's bookshelf. Other books in this series include Once Upon a Time... there was a Little Bird, Once Upon a Time... there was a Greedy King , and Once Upon a Time... there was an Old Woman .

Genres: Childrens

16 pages, Board Book

Published November 2, 2021

About the author

Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.

Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Fatima Seraj Alam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though the story is a First Nation Australian story, the illustrations are children friendly and there is a moral ending of sharing.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tiddalik the Frog is thirsty; so thirsty, in fact, that before long he has drunk all the water from the billabong and surrounding land. The other animals are getting thirsty themselves, but with all the water inside Tiddalik’s body, there is none left for them to drink. Thinking fast, a kangaroo, a kookaburra, a wombat, and an eel all try to make Tiddalik laugh so the water will go back where it belongs. It is up to these friends to remind Tiddalik to share and ensure all the animals will have enough water to enjoy. This colorful board book brings an age-old legend to new life for young readers. First told by the Gunai/Kurnai people of south-east Australia, Tiddalik’s story reminds readers of all ages of the importance of sharing with one another. Short phrases are accompanied by cheerful, colorful illustrations to appeal to children as Tiddalik’s story unfolds. Featuring animals native to the Australian landscape, this book showcases koalas, platypuses, and more as part of the billabong’s ecosystem where Tiddalik makes his home. Short and sweet, this story reads in the style of a familiar legend and wraps up with an important moral message. At the end, readers are presented with a description of the story’s background and the creatures introduced within it. Though this is directed more to older caregivers, this addition gives readers unfamiliar with the Australian landscape deeper knowledge and understanding. This is a vibrant and unique inclusion to libraries for young children.

[Jess Rodgers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts out with “Once Upon a Time,” like a traditional English fairytale, but it is actually a traditional tale about from Gunai/Kurnai First Nations people of Australia.

Tiddalik the frog was so thirsty he drank all the water and now the other animals need to make a plan to get some of the water back as they are also thirsty!

The book is colorful, inclusive, and includes an animal search at the end of the book that my three-year-old really enjoyed. I love it when tales from indigenous folks are told- what a great way for us to learn about other cultures, and for their stories to be preserved for younger generations. I also love that it talks about sharing with those around you, but also water conservation in an indirect way.

My chief complaint with this book is it was short. There are only 6 pages featuring the traditional tale, and i think there would be more benefit from the book if it was longer. It also didn’t explain why the tale translates to stone frogs near the billabong.

It would be a good book to pick up if you’re looking to expand your children’s collections, especially with the topics of sharing, water conservation, and tales from indigenous people. There’s also opportunity to learn about a new Australian creature or two, such as the kookaburra, which probably isn’t familiar to most American children. It would probably be a great book for kids four and under.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dorling Kindersley Limited for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated book that uses an Australian Creation Story about Tiddalik the Frog to help teach little ones about the importance of sharing. Because Tiddalik the Frog is so thirsty, he drinks all of the water from the billabong. All of the other native animals come together to try to figure out a way to make Tiddalik spit all of the water back out. Several animals try to make him laugh by doing different activities, but after the Eel gets herself all tangled up while trying to slither her way out of the mud, Tiddalik finally laughs and spits all of the water back out. Once the water fills back up in the billabong, Tiddalik realized how much the other animals needed the water, so he promises to share the water with everyone from now on. The vibrant colors and simple text are great for children ages 3 to 5. In addition to the story itself, the identification of native Australian animals is a plus.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a retelling of an aboriginal Australian fable. It is the story of Tiddalik, a thirsty frog who drank all the water in the land. The other animals had nothing to drink, the plants had no water, and Tiddalik was full of all the water. The animals try to make him laugh so he will open his mouth but many of them try and it does not work. Will any of them get Tiddalik to give the water back to the river and the land? We loved the illustrations in this book and talked a lot about the different animals. This is a story about sharing and of course, Tiddlik finally realizes that he is being selfish and needs to share the water with others. The back pages shows all the animals and gives a bit of information about the fable, the water-holding frog and the weather. This was a cute story that definitely got the message across to my older grandchildren, but the youngest one, loved the illustrations and all the animals The publisher generously provided a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful fable originated from the Gunai/Kurnai First Nations people of Australia. Tiddalik is a thirsty, greedy frog who drinks up all the water in the land leaving the other animals ... none! The animals, if they are to survive, must figure out a way to get it back from him. Will their plan work and will Tiddalik learn that he has to share and think of others as well as himself?

The illustrations are colourful and many Australian animals are highlighted. Included at the end is a search-and-find page that asks kids to spot the platypus. I like that the author gives historical information in the "learn about the story" portion of the book also. I recommend this book.

[MookNana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool book! I love that it's an adaptation of a First Nations tale--that fact can spark lots of interesting conversations with young readers.

Even without that connection, it's a simple, fun, relatable story. The bright, saturated illustrations will hold readers' attention and the variety of Oceanic animals and their antics will be very interesting at storytime.

This book would do equally well as a circle time, small group, or individual read and would be a great addition to a pre-K or elementary library.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once Upon A Time…there was a Thirsty Frog is a beautifully illustrated fable from Aboriginal Australia. My children loved the vivid images of the animals that make Australia their home as well as the story of Tiddalik, a frog who is so thirsty, that he drank all of the water. The “learn about the story” portion at the back of the book was a perfect segue into further discussion about protecting Earth’s resources and the importance of sharing. It was a short, cute story with terrific illustrations and colors and an important moral. Thank you to DK and NetGalley.

[Lellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once Upon a Time there was a Thirsty Frog is a children's retelling of an Australian aboriginal folktale. I like that children around the world will get to experience a story from an indigenous group and I hope a first-hand source helped in the creation. The illustrations are vibrant and great, but I felt like the story was way too short. This is my second book by DK Children's books! Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Hal · Rating 5 out of 5]

arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This silly tale about a greedy frog who has drank all of the water was adorable, full of Australian wildlife and a very important message about sharing. The art inside was gorgeous, along with the “can you spot” this animal game at the end! It gives kids a reason to start from the beginning and read it again.

I really loved that the origin story of Tiddalik is from the Gunai/Kurnai people!

5/5⭐️

[Julia Pika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to DK Children & NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adore the illustrations, they are beautiful and colorful, they're sure to please any child!

I especially like the informative last two pages that explain the names of the animals presented in the book as well as explaining what a drought it, so that's educational and useful for children to know.

My only issue is that I felt like it could've been a little bit longer.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is fun and silly story about how Tiddalik the Frog learns to share. The illustrations are vibrant and engaging, and my kids loved seeing all the Australian animals that are included. My kids particularly liked the silly antics of the animals, and they laughed quite hard at them.

This book was very short, and the moral felt forced at the end of the story. For these reasons, I am giving this book 3 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and DK Children for a free digital copy.

Based on an First Nations story from Australia, this story has a message of sharing not only with those you know, but sharing to save the planet. I thought the illustrations are vibrant and fit the story well.

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute book of animals learning the lesson of sharing with others and not to be greedy. A book for kids of all ages. I highly recommend it. The illustrations are bright and colorful. I loved it. Thanks to #netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great illustrations and fun story. Love that it introduces new vocabulary as it tells the old tale. It did feel a bit strange to see the frog decide not to be selfish without a real reason, but overall it was a good book. Thanks NetGalley

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was the first time I heard of the Australian myth about Tiddalik. This is a cute book that teaches children the importance of sharing.

[Riley P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun story about sharing for young children, Riley loved this and asked to read it again. He loved learning the names of new animals he had not heard of before.

[Terrie Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

A frog that lived in the billabong drank all the water when he was thirsty. That didn’t leave any water for the other animals. They decided to make the frog laugh so he would spit out all the water. But nothing made him even giggle. Eel got herself tangled and was so twisted up that the frog burst out laughing and the water was returned. Frog realized how selfish he had been by taking it all himself.

This is a cute story and a good lesson about sharing. The illustrations are outstanding. The animals are adorable, and their actions are humorously displayed.


I received an ARC from DK Children through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.