This book gives an age-appropriate and thorough introduction into the subject of frogs. It is succinct, yet full of useful information. It uses several alliterations, allowing students to apply skills they have learned (or will learn) in language to their science content. A labeled image of a frog at the beginning of the book uses many adjectives to help readers get a vivid idea of what a real-life frog is. Rather than marking the frog’s skin as just “skin,” it is described as “slimy and wet,” as well as the frog’s feet: “webbed.” The supplemental material in this book and the other books in the “Rookie Read-About Science” series goes above and beyond expectations. Each book includes a life cycle of the subject material, complete with pictures, summary sentences, and critical thinking questions. Each book also has another page that is an extension of the content in the main part of the book. The next segment, “Let’s Explore!,” charges readers to have an adult help them to apply the material they’ve just read about to their lives, by going outside and finding examples or looking for signs of the subject. Next is a well-organized food chain chart that guides students in applying the specific content of the book to more general science concepts. Each book also includes a glossary that defines words that were highlighted in the text, including the pictures that were used for those words in the context of the book. Lastly is an index of topics, a link to find more information on the Scholastic website, and an author bio. The follow-through exhibited in these books is commendable and certainly will be of utmost value to young readers. Part of the “Rookie Read-About Science” series. Reviewer: Laura Dekle; Ages 3 to 6.
