A Hopping Good Read

Jump into this fascinating book about a frog “no bigger than a thumbnail.” Hip-Pocket Papa, by Sandra Markle, will excite young non-fiction readers and picture book enthusiasts alike. The book begins with a small hip-pocket frog hiding “beneath a button-sized mushroom cap” in the Australian rainforest. The pages colorfully illustrate the lives of two parent frogs and their “developing brood.” We learn that the pearl-like frog eggs are hidden beneath “orange and brown leaves” in a “glob of glistening jelly.” The prose is exceptionally written and would make a great one-on-one or classroom read-aloud. The text further describes how the eggs hatch into tadpoles that find shelter in the “hip pockets” of the papa frog. Young readers will be thrilled to see the young “froglets” emerge into the world. The beautiful watercolor illustrations highlight the frogs in their natural environment. An incredible look at this tiny rainforest creature.