Children's Corner: The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog

This isn't anything serious, but it's good for a giggle.  The big, wide-mouthed frog is full of curiosity.  He's running around asking everyone who they are and what they eat...  but he's gotten a little carried away.  When he comes across the "knobby brown log" he discovers it's really a crocodile... who eats big, wide-mouthed frogs! In true children's book tradition the frog is wily and gets away but not without giving the readers something to laugh about.

As it is a traditional tale from the Okefenokee Swamp, it's available through several different publishers, even as a pop-up book. While I'm sure it lends itself well to a pop-up, I prefer the charming and simple illustrations of Ana Martín Larrañaga.  (I love how she's included a little fly in each illustration that is following the wide mouthed frog throughout the story... but the frog is too distracted by his quest to notice.)  I think the story has enough merit to stand on it's own without all the added extras.

This is another great book for reading in different voices.  The frog gets louder and more obnoxious as he goes, but is quite humbled by the end.  It's a cute quick read with a nice little moral and it always has us in gales of laughter by the end.