There's a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake

by Loren Long

Built for giggles and fun read-alouds, this classic children's song has been adapted by #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of Love and Otis , Loren Long!

"One to visit again and again..." -- Publishers Weekly

There's a log on the bottom of the lake
There's a log on the bottom of the lake
There's a log?
There's a log!
There's a log on the bottom of the lake.

But it turns out there's a a whole lot more than just a log on the bottom of this lake!

A cumulative text featuring repetition and tongue-twisters combine with gorgeous illustrations from New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long for a book kids will clamor for at storytime. Endpapers include sheet music and lyrics for kids and parents to have their own singalong!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Music, Animals, Storytime, Humor, Juvenile

34 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2018

About the author

I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky in the 1970’s. We had no artists of any kind in the family. We didn’t know any artists. I liked sports, especially baseball. My mother read to me a lot. But I have to admit, my favorite subject in school was gym class. I also liked to draw. My parents encouraged me to keep drawing.

Reviews

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

After-storytime-update: This book is still ★★★★★. After singing this book to my group, they kept asking why the books we were also reading weren't "singing books." They also kept wanting me to re-read this one. So if you do this for storytime, read it at the end (so they can't keep bothering you) or do it once at the beginning and then promise you can read it again so the little monsters will get off your back.


This book is adorable. This book is hilarious. This book is essentially a perfect storytime book for toddlers and preschoolers. Loren Long does a really great ukulele'accompanied, sing-along version of this book that I'll definitely be watching over and over again before I use it in a storytime. There's also music in the back with chord accompaniment for those who are more musically inclined.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know that I've ever heard this version of the cumulative song before. The way I know it, it goes: "There's a hole in the bottom of the sea." In any case, the idea is the same here. Cute pictures and amusing commentary from a snail and turtle add a bit more fun to what is essentially just an illustrated song.

You'll probably get an earworm from reading this one, but just in case you aren't tired of it by the end, there's some sheet music included. I think the real strength of this one is the illustrations, though, and the little opinionated duo that appears on every page.

Quotable moment:

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author/illustrator Loren Long, creator of the Otis the Tractor picture-book series, and the illustrator of many other children's books, adapts the classic children's song, "There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea" in this new title. The cumulative text starts with a log at the bottom of the lake, eventually growing to include the hole in the log, the frog in the hole, the hair on the frog, and the bugs on the hair. A snarky turtle and his snail sidekick provide commentary on the whole thing, in little speech bubbles. Eventually, someone happens by who puts an end to the cumulative effect...

I have enjoyed quite a few of Loren Long's books, and always find his artwork quite appealing. There's a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake was no exception, and although I didn't know the original song, going in, I nevertheless found the cumulative text here entertaining. The turtle's commentary added an amusing extra element, and the conclusion, in which a fish happens by and eats both frog and bugs, had a Jon Klassen feeling to it. The artwork, done in acrylics and colored pencils, is quite expressive, with the frog's expressions, when he is contemplating the bugs on his head, being particularly droll. Recommended to fans of the original song, to admirers of Loren Long, and to anyone in the market for fun, read-aloud tales for the younger picture-book set.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got this as a free book (which I'm thankful for) and I don't inherently dislike books that are just a children's song but I don't remember the song ending with a fish eating everyone? Regardless my toddler got supremely freaked out every time we read this.

[Lydia Dainty · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of our Imagination Library books. I’m not a great singer, but Toby loved the tune of this story.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book illustrates the stanzas of a progressive song that involves ...

wait for it...

a hole in the log on the bottom of the lake.

I'm not familiar with this song, so the melody didn't really come to me as I read the narrative.

But there's a lot of repetition, and the music and lyrics are printed at the end of the book, so I'm sure the ditty will appeal to most children.

The plot of the song doesn't have a lot going on, so the author added a cute turtle and snail interacting throughout the book.

At first I thought the duo were cute and added a humorous touch to the book. But then I noticed something disturbing. The turtle was pretty snarky and acerbicly funny, until he was just plain mean to the snail.

Perhaps it's just me, but I was disappointed that two of the picture books I read today contain mean and/or disparaging narrative/dialogue.

I find this very disconcerting. Am I being too sensitive and not fully appreciating the acerbic wit and sarcasm? Does this make me a (heaven forbid!?!) 'Snowflake'?

In any case, the book itself is okay. The acrylic and colored pencil illustrations are colorful and cartoonish and the creatures are pretty cute.

The ending is a bit disturbing, but I don't mind that too much. After all, I suppose it's part of the song. I was singing camp songs about 'scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head' and slurping up 'greasy grimy gopher guts' when I was young.

But I really did not appreciate how the turtle bullied the snail. Turtles just aren't like that.

[mamma.needsabook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super fun book with such colorful pictures! The story is about a hole in a log at the bottom of a lake, and it keeps adding more and more funny things happening around it. You’ll laugh a lot and enjoy seeing all the silly creatures and stuff that are part of the story. It's a perfect read out loud and you won’t want to put it down!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun singsong book my big kids & I had fun taking parts in reading.

[Luisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adding this to my goal because my kids had me reread this same book about 1 million times at least.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 5 stars just for the fun and the whimsey. Little ones will sing along and demand this book over and over.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is more than just a log on the bottom of the lake. A fun cumulative text picture book. Fantastic illustrations. Humorous and tongue-twisting.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun repititions and tongue-twisters in this cumulative text make for a great read aloud or sing-a-long.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Again, logic ruins another children's book. This story takes place on the bottom of a lake. Underwater. So when not only a fly but a gnat show up my logic alarm goes off. Then a fish eats everything including the log? That I could suspend my disbelief, but not for bugs flying around underwater.
Also, this book is a song. Does it work if you can't remember/don't' know the tune? Not so well. The tune is written out in the back of the book, but you need to know that before you read the story to be helpful.
Finally, there are two little creatures off to the side that makes comments, both related and unrelated to the story. I find these guys cute, but their dialog is distracting. Plus if I'm singing a book, especially one with a call and response, I don't want to stop and do a voice for another character then go back to singing. No thanks.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice illustrations. Never heard this song before, so I didn't connect there. I like snark, but the comments from the turtle and snail didn't fit the vibe for me. This is a sing-a-long; I want it to relish its campy self.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this cumulative song. Having the music [it's given i. the back) may give me the courage to sing it to the 5th graders, who will enjoy the snail and turtle humor. Nice for teachers and cumulative stories and songs are great for beginning readers as well. Frogs facial expressions are a hoot.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story contains all of the elements for a fun story-time singalong for preschoolers: lots of repetition, easy tune, funny sounds, engaging illustrations, and a surprise ending; includes musical score and verses in end pages.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewing a classic work.

Adapting Composer/Lyricist Sylvia Fine's song "There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea", Long brings his own spin and tale, changing the body of water, shortening the number of items included, and extended the riff patterns for each verse. It is now a freshwater lake, with all the things you might find there - ending with a fish near the gnat on the fly on the hair on the frog in the hole in the log on the bottom of the lake. It still sings well (melody and chords are in the back of the book). Also added are a secondary story of a turtle and snail watching all of the events happening. They add depth to the story and an additional thing to watch while the main action is going on. The surprise ending is not what you expect.

As always, Long builds a world of charming anthropomorphic animals in his artwork rendered in acrylic and colored pencils. A colorful school of fish swim this way and that as the action takes place. The dark green of the lake itself would indicate lots of algae in the water, but it is not seen growing on the nearby tree trunk or log in the story. Regardless, the song is fun, the side story is fun, and will be a hit when sung aloud by an adult and repeated with kiddoes.

Include this in units on freshwater lake habitats, song/music, and just plain old fun stories.

Recommended for PreS-grade 1.

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

There's a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake by Loren Long, PICTURE BOOK Philomel (Penguin Random House) 2018. $18. 9780399163999

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

A twist on the song "The's a hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake" If you aren't familiar, the song starts simply with the hole in the log, and then each verse adds something. "There's a frog in the hole in the log on the bottom of the sea."

Long has illustrated the song perfectly, but he has included a turtle and snail, with the turtle giving the most hilarious commentary! "Ew, there's really a hair on that frog?" Not just a read aloud, this book is a sing along - I can picture selecting a student to be the turtle. What fun! Includes the sheet music in case you need the guitar or ukelele chords and the notes. Now the song is stuck in my head!

Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing quite like hearing a group of children singing and humming a melody as they leave the library. It all begins in story time but the memory of a tale well-told lingers for days, weeks, and yes, sometimes years. When a song is attached to a narrative it enables the listeners to recall all the details with clarity, note by note.

If another story, additional commentary, is added to the narrative of the tune along with charming and humorous illustrations, you are holding a read aloud treasure in your hands. Illustrated and adapted by author illustrator Loren Long, There's A Hole In The Log On The Bottom Of The Lake (Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, September 25, 2018) is a toe-tapping, hand-clapping, knee-slapping and laugh-out-loud rendition. It's joy you'll want to share as often as possible.



My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Shirley Kingery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeously illustrated children's book from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program. The frog and other little critters are adorable. The text consists of lyrics to a catchy take on an old folk song with a repetitive chorus that grows longer on each page until the end. Your child wll LOVE it and will likely not want to stop singing it. You will likely go around singing it, too! The sheet music is on the back page so that you will know the tune and be able to accompany it on the piano, if you want. There are activities mentioned for you and your child to expand on the book with musical activities and trying different versons for bathtime, etc.

This is a fantastic addition to your child's library!

[Elizabeth S · Rating 5 out of 5]

As fun as it is to sing a repetitive song with little kids, 1) the Fun Repetition can become Agonizing Song That Never Ends times infinity; 2) "reading" a book that has the text of the song can actually make things worse.

Such books consisting of the text for a repetitive song can be tolerable and even enjoyable with cute and fun illustrations. And even better with a fun twist at the end. But this one is best of all because of the turtle. A small turtle (with accompanying snail) provides hilarious commentary in the form of a short question/comment on each page. The first one: "Do you hear voices?"

Fun pictures + clever twist ending + turtle commentator = perfection.

[Kalynne]

Date: 07.01.24
Attendees 45
Theme: Frogs
Introduction and announcements: Well Hello Everybody….

Book one: There’s a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake by Loren Long

Song/rhyme/game one: 5 Green and Speckled Frogs

Book two: I Don’t Want to Be a Frog by Dev Petty

Song/rhyme/game two: Move! By Super Simple Songs

Book three: The Caterpillar and the Polliwog by Jack Kent

Song/ rhyme/ game three: The Polliwog rhyme

Activity: https://i0.wp.com/huppiemama.com/wp-c...
Use green paper, and cut frog head shapes instead

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author took a familiar children's song and converted it into a book. It's cute and I like how the snail and the turtle provide commentary on each page. The text on one page is, "There's a log? There's a log!" and the turtle says "It's just a piece of rotten wood." When we get to the hole, turtle says, "A whole what? It just looks empty to me."

It's perfect for young children. The snail and the turtle made the book for me.

Kudos to the person who left this at the auto mechanics. It gave me something interesting to read.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the end papers, to the paper used, to the creative illustrations that are so rich and bold, it's lovely without words. Then to add words that become a song and call back during deadlocks, young readers will be engaged in responding where appropriate.

It is absolutely a delightful read with my one issue being the fly and gnat on the hair of the frog at the bottom of the lake... they couldn't be underwater!

I could share at it all day and that's a testament to Long's talent.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea there was a song about a hole in the bottom of the sea and this book is an adaptation of that song but takes place in the lake. It is a cute repetitive, cumulative story that would be best sung rather than just read aloud and it has a suprise ending. There is sheet music at the end of the story but I can't read sheet music so I will need to do some research or have the music teacher help me decipher it so I can properly read/sing this book with students!

[Aileen Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the marvelous Loren Long's "There's a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake". I met Loren in person this past spring at The Southern Kentucky Book Festival and besides possessing uber amounts of talent, he is just as nice as nice can be. There's a Hole in the Log is Loren's take on that old familiar song "There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea", but the surprise ending, which I wasn't expecting, in addition to commentary by a small turtle and snail really sets it apart.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hole in the Log song has been around for quite some time and its fun to see it in an illustrated form. There illustrations are beautiful and contain great detail. And if you like to sing with your child, then this is a great book. It's even better if you have a large lung capacity because some of the later stanzas are very, very long. Bonus, there is sheet music and a page of lyrics at the end.

[Eleah Billings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realistic Fiction
K-2nd
This is really fun that you can have students super involved in the read-aloud. There are so many fun tongue twisters that will have students on the edge of their seats waiting to hear what comes next. I think it would be a fun activity to have a sheet with blanks for each time you read it and to have the students either write down or say out loud what they think comes next in the story.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age: Preschool+
Song: There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea
Animals: Frog, fish, bugs

A cumulative song that will amuse sadist children to see their teachers or librarians run out of breath. Seriously, a fun book for a group read.

Side note: We're all cool with the fly and gnat swimming in the water? Okay, just checking.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake by Loren Long is a comical picture book set to an old camp song. The hilarious illustrations and silly lyrics will have kids rolling around laughing and it is sure to bring a smile to the grumpiest adult in the room. Don’t forget to look for what the snail has to say about it all! This book is a blast to sing together for ages 3 – 9.