Frog: A Story of Lfe on Earth by Isabel Thomas and Daniel Egneus

The striking blue/green cover emblazoned with gold lettering, of new release, Frog: A Story of Life on Earth is the precursor to the visual delight you will experience as you read through this engaging book.

As a young child observes tadpole eggs in a pond they begin to wonder “If frogs come from eggs, and eggs come from frogs, where did the first frog come from?” From this deep thinking the book takes the reader on a journey back to the beginning of time. It is hard to imagine that everything we know today came from one tiny speck that expanded and exploded in a BIG BANG which then became the universe. Over time atoms formed as the universe cooled and smashed together to form bigger atoms that exploded and from stars, stardust formed many of what we know now: the sun, planets, moons, mountains, forest… but no frogs yet.

After Earth was formed, chemicals rearranged themselves to form a cell which could copy itself over and over again. This began the formation of the first living things we today recognise as sea creatures. Those sea creatures began to evolve and change, some moving onto the land to become what we now call amphibians. Over millions of years ‘adapting, changing and rearranging life on Earth’, these amphibians are the ancestors of every animal with four legs. Out of this, the humble frog was formed. It has outlasted dinosaurs and thrives where land meets water, in tropical areas, swamps and even deserts. A truly amazing creature.

This powerful story is told in accessible well-spaced text carefully placed on every page and surrounded by vibrant detailed illustrations. This is a book that may encourage children to reflect and ponder over the past especially about where life came from.  A wonderful resource for a home, school or public library.

Themes: Universe, Earth, Science, Nature, Amphibians, Frogs, Life Cycle.

Kathryn Beilby