Sue Lawson (text) and Guy Holt (illustrator), The Frog Book (Nature’s Alarm), Wild Dog Books, June 2023, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781742036571
Award-winning author Sue Lawson brings us a non-fiction book on Australasian frogs and toads and their role in the health of our environment.
The book is divided into different sections starting with a dive into different amphibians, a focus on Australian frogs with an incredibly interesting section on First Nations people and frogs in Dreaming stories. It highlights how First Nations people observed frogs’ movements to locate water, upcoming seasonal changes and how a frogs health helps identify unhealthy water systems. I found this information fascinating and wished for more detail.
There’s also a section on unique New Zealand frogs and key differences between frogs and toads. The food chain, habitat, anatomy, and life cycle focus would be useful for teachers and students studying this creature for a science unit. Learning about how frogs act as ‘nature’s alarm’ when there are changes in the environment is a key feature of this book. This topic could create a launchpad for classroom discussion on what is impacting frogs’ survival. The book finishes with ways to help frogs’ survive for future generations and a ‘how to build a frog habitat’ section which would capture frog-loving children’s attention and imagination.
Guy Holt’s photography and book design along with the large text font makes The Frog Book an attractive non-fiction read for ages 5-10 years old interested in amphibians and helping the environment.
Reviewed by Stef Gemmill
