Frog and Toad Are Friends

Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Are Friends. Illustrated and read by Arnold Lobel. Harper Audio, 1990. $12.95. ISBN 9780694000272.

Summary:

A classic tale of friendship and small adventures, and an exemplar of the early reader format, Frog and Toad Are Friends has a place on every K-2 bookshelf. This book and cassette set includes a paperback version of the 1971 Caldecott Honor book and an unabridged recording of the author reading each of the five stories. In each story (“Spring,” “The Story,” “A Lost Button,” A Swim,” and “The Letter”), Lobel gives voice to Toad’s melancholic side and Frog’s exuberance for life. “The Lost Button” is particularly hilarious: Toad becomes more and more upset, as the world seems to be filled with buttons that are not his! There are some studio sounds, as when the calendar pages are being torn off or the splash of landing in the water, as well as page-turning signals on side one.

Curriculum Connections:

For readers who are working on gaining fluency with reading aloud, this read-along book and cassette set is an essential addition to the classroom listening station. Readers can follow along in the text, while listening to Arnold Lobel, a fluent and expressive reader.

Personal Reflections:

Not all authors are great readers of their own work. But Lobel is perfect! His voice is just how I imagined Frog and Toad would sound. He gives excellent inflection and expression to their voices and interactions.

Awards:

Caldecott Honor Book, 1971.

Age/Interest Range:

PreK-8

Genre/Themes:

Friendship, Humor, Early Reader

Read-Alikes:

This book belongs with other Early Reader classics, such as Lobel’s Mouse Tales and Minarik’s Little Bear stories.