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One Tiny Treefrog

A Countdown to Survival

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

The red-eyed treefrog of the Costa Rican rain forest stars in this bold and visually arresting countdown book, which is both a captivating read-aloud and a resource.
Deep in the tropical forest of Costa Rica, ten sticky frog eggs cling to a leaf. Only nine eggs hatch. Only eight tadpoles wind up in the water below. What will it take to survive the countdown to adulthood and begin the cycle again? This beautifully designed, color-drenched introduction to frog metamorphosis peeks at this animal's habitats and predators as it illustrates competition and natural selection. Cocreators Mackenzie Joy and Tony Piedra have crafted a dazzling spin on the life of one of nature's darlings, the red-eyed treefrog. Back matter invites budding naturalists to discover even more treefrog facts, revisit the pages to spot other Costa Rican species, and check out a bibliography.

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    Kindle restrictions
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  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      November 1, 2022
      Beginning with 10 tadpoles in egg form, Piedra and Joy offer an honest look at the odds of becoming a red-eyed treefrog. The countdown begins with an image of a large leaf. Sensitive children may be a little perturbed as each page turn announces a dwindling number of metamorphosing siblings. Many become lunch for various critters, like the wolf cichlid. The scientific names of the animals accompany the illustrations, offering a chance for children to sound out new words. Adults should help kids talk through the tough truth about the low likelihood of survival for tadpoles; they'll also appreciate the wealth of information about the Costa Rican ecosystem to comb through in the backmatter, which dissects the images and sequences on each spread in long prose. The narrative portion is spare, with plenty of action words like plunge and peek along with onomatopoeia for an engaging read-aloud. The hopeful treefrogs are lightly anthropomorphized as they grow, though they don't talk or have distinct personalities. Still, attachment and hope for the treefrogs will form. Greens, blues, and yellows dominate the absorbing, attractive illustrations; it's easy to jump for this one. (This book was reviewed digitally; this review was updated for accuracy.) A winning combination of information and entertainment. (Informational picture book. 4-7)

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 16, 2023
      Piedra and Joy provide a matter-of-fact primer on a tree frog’s life cycle, emphasizing the slim odds of survival faced by tadpoles maturing into adults. Luminous emerald pages open as “Ten tiny tadpoles grow in their eggs.” Their number soon begins to dwindle as first nine “wiggle free” and then only eight “plunge into a watery new home,” where new threats await. As the group’s number shrinks, labeled digital renderings feature a range of predators that seem to be taking a toll on them, including the social wasp, wolf cichlid, and carmine skimmer. When only “two nimble tadpoles” remain, a spectacled caiman looks on from the depths and makes a sudden “SNAP” that leaves a lone “resilient” survivor: “Zero tiny tadpoles./ One tiny treefrog.” Simple, spare text is balanced by the countdown’s drama, and lengthy back matter rounds out the book’s educational aspects. Ages 4–8.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
Kindle restrictions

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:2.5
  • Interest Level:K-3(LG)
  • Text Difficulty:0-1

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