Starred Review ALA Booklist (Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Starred Review Though justifiably proud of their 999 offspring, Mother and Father Frog know that it's time to find a bigger pond. They are all crossing a field when a hawk snatches Father and begins to fly away. Quickly, Mother grabs Father's leg, a young frog grabs hers, another grabs her, and so on until the predator is hauling a heavy chain of frogs. Unwilling to lose "a whole year's supply," the hawk holds on as long as he can, but eventually he lets go, and 1,001 frogs fall to their . . . new home in a big pond. Translated from the Japanese, this amusing picture book was given the same English title as a 2006 picture book with the same author, illustrator, and title but a different story and artwork. Even if you have the first book, you don't want to miss this one. Written with a storyteller's flair, the simple text finds just the right balance of drama and humor to make this tale of thwarted predation a real crowd-pleaser. The naive paintings suit the story well, and the cartoonlike exaggeration of the little frogs' features reassures viewers that, somehow, these upbeat little characters will come out on top. Highly recommended for reading aloud.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1 Kimura chronicles a tale of family teamwork, accompanied by Murakami's comic art. Mother and Father Frog, proud of their 999 offspring's energy and growth, lead the youngsters toward a bigger home. En route, they escape a snake, but a hungry hawk grabs Father. Mother, then each tadpole in succession, latches on to create a heavy, winding line that the youngsters enjoy, but the bird can not keep hold, despite his delight in this "year's supply of frogs." All of the amphibians fall into a large pond and end with a rousing chorus of "ribbits." Use this story for comic relief when discussing life cycles or food chains. Murakami's simple cartoons and panoramic vistas of the journey will also entertain storytimers. Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA

Kirkus Reviews

Having outgrown their pond, a frog family moves out, crossing a field where they meet a scary snake and then a hungry hawk that unwittingly flies them to a perfect home. Opening with an image of proud parents admiring their numerous tadpoles in a circular pond, the next spread shows the grown froglets, crowding each other beyond the pond's borders. Mother says, "We'll have to move," so off they go, following their father in a long, long line. Kimura captures the impatience of children on a trip ("When will we get there?"). Murakami, an illustrator well-known in Japan, uses just enough detail in his expressive images to make his simple, suggestive shapes and crayon line meaningful. With their extensive white space, these illustrations will show well to a group. When the hawk captures father and the rest of the family holds on, the landscape tilts and the line of young frogs is reduced to a chain of dots, emphasizing the height and distance of their flight. Their splash into a new, large pond is immensely satisfying. (First published in Japan in 2003, this tale may be confused with a book/CD kit that has the same English title but a different narrative arc, published in Australia but also available here.) This well-paced journey, with just enough tension to keep young listeners engaged, will be a solid storytime choice.  (Picture book. 3-7)

Horn Book (Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

When 999 tadpoles transform into 999 frogs, things get crowded. Relocation across the field proves hazardous when a hungry hawk nabs Father. Mother's quick thinking saves the day as she grabs onto Father, and all the young frogs link up in turn. There's not a word misplaced in the spare and funny text, and the illustrations are full of lively movement and personality.