Kirkus Reviews

A simple counting rhyme relates the tale of a frog who eats his way through the bog: one tick, two fleas, three flies, and so on. Eventually, he gets so fat that the "log" upon which he sits takes notice and reveals itself to be a hungry alligator. The frog's panicked scream allows the contents of his tummy to escape, and out they come, from five snails, to four slugs, back down to the one tiny tick. The appropriately folksy text is nicely complemented by pale, splashy watercolors that evoke the swampy setting perfectly. Frog, fleas, flies, and the other "meals" learn a gentle lesson—the smallest ones stay away from the frog, who therefore stays small enough himself that the gator won't pay him any attention. Since the counting only goes up and down to five and everyone is safe at the end, this is especially suitable for the youngest beginning counters. (Picture book. 3-6)

Starred Review for Publishers Weekly (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

This rhyming picture book about an amphibian with a big appetite has as much bounce as its titular character's spring-action legs. The "small, green frog/ on a half-sunk log/ in the middle of a bog" has, apparently, an expandable belly that can keep up with his big eyes and quick tongue. He rapidly ingests "<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">one tick/ as it creeps up a stick," "<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">two fleas/ as they leap through the reeds," and so on, until his wildly bulging form comes to the attention of an alligator—whom the frog had mistaken for the half-sunk log. After a dramatic splash, all the creatures involved get their just deserts. Wilson's (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Bear Snores On) blend of early learning concepts, humor and wordplay make for a jaunty read-aloud. Rankin's (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Mrs. McTats and Her Houseful of Cats) sassy, intricately composed watercolors feature variegated, saturated backgrounds that often look appropriately bog-spattered and sun-dried (even, sometimes, tie-dyed). Throughout, various insects and the frog himself are more crisply rendered, allowing readers to appreciate their comic expressions. Ages 3-7. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Sept.)

Horn Book (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2004)

In rollicking rhymed verse, a greedy frog gobbles fleas, snails, and other creatures, only to let them escape through his mouth when he screams upon realizing that he is perched on an alligator. The tautly told tale, dramatic surprise, and appropriate comeuppance for the protagonist will delight young listeners. Unfortunately, the watercolors are hazy and muddled, failing to capture key details.

ALA Booklist (Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 CST 2003)

A small, hungry frog on a half-sunk log in the middle of the bog grows bigger and bigger as he consumes one tick, two fleas, three flies, four slugs, and five slimy snails. As it turns out, the log is really a partially submerged alligator. After the fat frog figures this out, he opens his mouth to scream in terror--and his dinner walks out into the safety of the bog. Wilson's bouncy, humorous verses mesh well with Rankin's cartoonlike, watercolor illustrations, which fairly teem with visual asides. Particularly amusing are the claustrophobic looks on the faces of the creatures stuck inside the frog's belly and the fast food MacFroggies restaurant pictured on the opening page. For a winning story hour, pair this with Pete Seeger's The Foolish Frog (the book is out of print, but a video is available from Weston Woods) or one of the many versions of I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly .

School Library Journal

PreS-This imaginative counting book will keep children laughing as a little frog eats his way through a variety of swamp delicacies, including "ONE tick," "TWO fleas," "THREE flies (Oh, my!)," "FOUR slugs," and "FIVE snails." Upon consuming each snack, "the frog grows a little bit bigger." After he has reached massive proportions, he is suddenly startled when the log he has been resting on develops a pair of yellow eyes and wide jaws. He screams "Gator!" opening his own mouth so wide that the creatures he has eaten are able to escape from his crowded stomach. The countdown is from five to one as the frog shrinks back to his normal size. Happily, the gator loses interest and swims away, because "the itty-bitty frog/isn't big enough to chomp." This gastronomic adventure is told in catchy rhyming verse, complemented by soft, dreamy watercolors that perfectly re-create the bog. The illustrations are enhanced by humorous details, including a flea circus set up in the background, the frog's jaunty sun hat, and the expressive faces of the swamp creatures crammed into the frog's belly. Reminiscent of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," this quirky counting book makes a fine companion to similar titles such as Marilyn Singer's Quiet Night (Clarion, 2002) and Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Philomel, 1969).-Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.