Frog and Toad Are Friends facts for kids
Front cover with Caldecott Honor seal
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| Author | Arnold Lobel |
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| Illustrator | Lobel |
| Country | United States |
| Series | Frog and Toad |
| Genre | Children's picture book, short story collection |
| Publisher | Harper & Row (I Can Read) |
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Publication date
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1970 |
| Pages | 64 |
| ISBN | 9780060239572 |
| OCLC | 97746 |
| LC Class | PZ7.L7795 Fr |
| Followed by | Frog and Toad Together |
Frog and Toad Are Friends is a beloved American picture book for children. It was written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel and first published in 1970. This book introduced the popular Frog and Toad series. Each of the four books in the series contains five simple, easy-to-read short stories.
Contents
Exploring the Stories of Frog and Toad
The Story of Spring
One beautiful spring morning, Frog visits Toad's house. Toad, however, is still very sleepy and does not want to get out of bed. Frog finally convinces him to wake up. Frog explains all the fun they will have in the new year. But Toad, who has been sleeping since November, wants to go back to bed. He asks Frog to wake him in late May. Frog doesn't want to be alone for so long. He sees that Toad's calendar is still on November. Frog quickly tears off the pages until he reaches April. He even tears off the April page! This makes Toad finally get out of bed to enjoy the lovely summer day.
Frog Needs a Story
One summer day, Toad sees that Frog is not feeling well. He helps Frog get into bed. Frog asks Toad to tell him a story. Toad tries hard to think of a story, but it is difficult. He walks on the porch, stands on his head, and even pours water on his head. Nothing helps him think of a story. These actions make Toad feel a bit unwell himself. By this time, Frog feels much better. He tells Toad to get into bed so Frog can tell him a story. Frog then tells a story about all the kind things Toad did for him that day. By the time Frog finishes, Toad is fast asleep.
The Mystery of the Lost Button
Frog and Toad go for a long walk together. When they get back home, Toad sees that a button has fallen off his jacket. They decide to walk back along their path to find it. They search in the meadow, the woods, and by the stream. A friendly sparrow and a raccoon help them look. Frog finds five different buttons. But none of them are Toad's special button. His button was big, round, thick, white, and had four holes. Toad becomes very frustrated when they cannot find it. He runs home and then makes a surprising discovery. His missing button had actually fallen off before they even started their walk! To apologize for the long search, Toad sews his button back on. He also sews all the other buttons they found onto his jacket. The next day, he gives the newly decorated jacket to Frog as a gift.
A Swim in the Stream
Frog and Toad decide to go for a swim in the stream. Toad goes behind a rock to put on his bathing suit. He tells Frog not to look at him until he is in the water. Toad feels a bit shy about how he looks in his swimsuit. Frog agrees, and they both go for their swim. A turtle comes by, and Toad asks Frog to tell it to leave. Frog tries to explain, but soon more animals arrive. Lizards, a grass snake, dragonflies, and a field mouse all become curious. They want to see Toad in his bathing suit. Toad decides to stay in the water until everyone leaves. But he starts to shiver and sneeze from the cold. He finally has to come out. As soon as he does, everyone, even Frog, laughs. Toad agrees that he looks funny. He quietly gathers his clothes and heads home.
The Special Letter
Frog visits Toad's house and finds his friend looking sad. Toad explains that he is waiting for the mail, but he never receives any letters. Frog feels sad for Toad. He goes home and writes a letter just for Toad. He then asks a snail to deliver it to Toad's house. Frog returns to Toad's house and tries to encourage him to wait for the mail again. Soon, Frog himself is waiting eagerly. Toad asks why, and Frog tells him about the letter he sent. He even describes what he wrote inside. This news makes Toad very happy and excited to wait for his mail. The snail takes four days to reach Toad's house. But when he finally arrives with the letter, Toad is overjoyed. He realizes that waiting for the special letter was definitely worth it.
From Book to Screen: The Adaptation
The book Frog and Toad Are Friends was made into a film. Churchill Films created this adaptation. Will Ryan voiced Frog, and Hal Smith voiced Toad. Arnold Lobel, the author, narrated the film. This film was recognized with a CINE Golden Eagle award.
