Kirkus Reviews

A frog with a yen to fly gives over to his ambition in this virtually trauma-free take on the popular theme. Frank's parents assure him that he can do anything he sets his mind to, but back off when he reveals his desire, explaining that flying is a BIRD THING, not a frog thing. But when Frank rescues a small bird, its grateful parents grant his request and take him into the sky on a twig. Landing safely, he realizes that it was really the birds doing the flying, not him—and so blithely hops off to do the frog thing instead. Illustrated with cartoon scenes of bright-eyed, pond-side residents, including frogs that stand on two feet, and packaged with a CD that features both a dramatic multi-voiced reading and extra discussion to make the lessons explicit, this merits sharing with all children needing to learn to accept their limitations. (Picture book. 6-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Framed as a story within a story, Drachman's narrator tells a tale to a pond full of young frogs eager to hear about the adventures of one of their own. More than anything, Frank, the young amphibian protagonist, wants to fly. But everyone knows frogs don't fly; flying is simply not a "frog thing," like hopping or swimming. Frank nonetheless pours his heart into getting airborne, to no avail. One day, happenstance gives him a lift when he rescues a baby bird that has fallen into the pond. A grateful mother offers Frank any reward he desires—and she soon finds a clever way to grant the froggy hero his fondest wish. Drachman's voice is smooth and inviting; his telling well-paced for the younger set, yet still entertaining enough for any age listener. Splashy sound effects and snippets of orchestral music that soar right along with Frank's determination give this warm and entertaining outing some additional heart. Ages 3-7. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(May)

School Library Journal (Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2006)

PreS-Gr 2 Eric Drachman, author of Leo the Lightning Bug (Kidwick, 2001) and Ellison the Elephant (Kidwick, 2004), returns with the story of Frank, a frog who wants to fly. Franks parents promised him that he could do whatever he set his mind tountil they discovered that he wanted to fly. They try to explain to Frank that flying is a bird thing and swimming is a frog thing, but Frank remains undeterred. One afternoon, when a young bird falls into the water, Frank uses his strong swimming skills to save the bird. To thank Frank for saving her baby, the mama bird and another bird fulfill Franks wish by carrying a twig between them that Frank holds onto while they fly him through the sky. In the end, Frank agrees that he cant fly, but maybe he can be one of the greatest swimmers. Beautiful illustrations by James Muscarello capture the frogs emotions, bringing the story to vibrant life. Drachman and a full cast narrate this heartwarming story, capturing all of the hopes, dreams, and unending determination of this spunky frog. Perfectly selected classical pieces serve as the background music, dipping and soaring right along with the story. A true delight that will be welcome in any collection. Veronica Schwartz, Des Plaines Public Library, IL