LITTLE FROG'S TADPOLE TROUBLE

Little Frog becomes a big brother and learns to adapt in this predictable sibling tale.

Life is good for Little Frog—that is, until nine new tadpoles join the family. Suddenly, his parents are preoccupied, and resentment sets in. But when the tadpoles turn into frogs, the siblings play together and Little Frog becomes the “best big brother to them all.” A pat ending to a rote storyline. Feeney’s short text and simple illustrations appear to be for a very young audience, yet the protagonist calls his siblings “stupid,” a term that seems more likely to fall from the lips of older children. While the author tries to use the careless phrase as a teachable moment, parents should ready themselves to deal with it as well. Well-composed images, done in pencil with a three-color design, offer an enjoyable layout. Still, while the design is interesting and the linework precise, both the text and artwork are missing a consideration that would have given this tale more substance.

A recycled plot for an already-full new-sibling bookshelf. (Picture book. 2-4)