A Spoonful of Frogs: A Halloween Book for Kids
Frogs are the most important ingredient in a witch's favorite treat--but they are also the hardest to get into the cauldron! From acclaimed author Casey Lyall and Caldecott Honor artist Vera Brosgol, A Spoonful of Frogs is a humorous and wholly original picture book--and a winning recipe for readers who loved Dragons Love Tacos and Room on the Broom.
A witch's favorite treat is frog soup. Luckily, it's healthy and easy to make. To give it that extra kick and a pop of color, the key ingredient is a spoonful of frogs. But how do you keep the frogs on the spoon? They hop, they leap, they hide . . . and they escape. What is a poor witch to do?
Casey Lyall is a master of comedic timing with her deceptively simple and energetic text, and Caldecott Honor winnerVera Brosgol's vibrant, hilarious illustrations make the witch--and the frogs!--practically leap off the page. The solution to the witch's dilemma will surprise and delight young readers and their parents alike.
Teeming with laugher and hijinks, A Spoonful of Frogs is pure fun from beginning to end. A must-have for young readers, parents, witches, frog-lovers, and aspiring chefs.
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Casey Lyall is the author of Gnome Is Where Your Heart Is; Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities; the acclaimed picture book A Spoonful of Frogs, illustrated by Vera Brosgol; and the popular Howard Wallace, PI series. She lives in southwestern Ontario, Canada, where she also works at her local library.
Vera Brosgol was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1984 and moved to the United States when she was five. Her two graphic novels, Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared, were published by First Second, and her debut picture book Leave Me Alone! was a 2017 Caldecott Honor book. She's also worked in story on several animated films, including Coraline and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio.
She lives in Portland, Oregon with her dog Omar, a mere two hours from the sea.
"An attempt to make frog soup, a witch's favorite treat, spells disaster during a cooking show when a key ingredient refuses to cooperate with the enchanting chef. . . . Lyall paces this mischievous story deliciously with well-timed page turns and repetition . . . Brosgol, meanwhile, makes excellent use of both white space and multipanel pages to enhance the comedic experience. . . . An all-seasons recipe for storytime success as readers will root for the frazzled witch to work her way out of a hilarious pickle." -- Booklist (starred review)
"After heating the cauldron and adding spices and veggies, [a witch] reaches for the pièce de resistance: a 'spoonful of frogs.' Unfortunately for her, but hilariously for readers, the would-be ingredients repeatedly, cleverly hop away, evading the stew, stirring up trouble, and ultimately providing inspiration for a brand-new recipe. Lyall's spare, mostly restrained text uses ear-pleasing, catch-phrase-worthy repetition and variation ("Put. The FROGS. On. The SPOON") while Brosgol's retro-chic, increasingly frazzled digital illustrations are a chef's-kiss of comic timing." -- Horn Book (starred review)
"Frog Soup [is] 'a witch's favorite treat' . . . The glamorous witch filming this TV segment, however, quickly discovers that frogs are not the easiest thing to get onto a spoon. . . . Surefire ingredients for a giggly storytime." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
"[A witch] demonstrates how to make frog soup in this humorous picture book tutorial. But after tossing in various veggies, the key ingredient--the titular froggy spoonful--refuses to cooperate. . . . The wily, hop-happy frogs escape from their tank, then prove subsequently and continually elusive. . . . Ideal for fans of cooking shows--or any kid who gets the giggles from seeing a flustered adult trying to hold it together." -- Publishers Weekly
"[A witch] hosts her TV show . . . Today's episode involves a demonstration on how to make Frog Soup. . . . Expecting the frog to stay on the spoon is her undoing as she tries to remain professional and keep her cool. . . . This entertaining tale is a humorous look at how well-laid plans can sometimes go awry, and it will tickle children's silly bones." -- School Library Journal
"Who knew soup-making was such an aerobic activity? . . . . It's tough to add a spoonful of frogs when the ingredient in question has other plans that include hopping, jumping, and, ultimately, escaping. Thanks to a little culinary magic, however, the day is saved with a briny substitution that pleases both the witch and their new froggy friends. . . . Storytellers will have audiences in stitches with this delectable delight, and children will giggle with each new frenzied attempt of the witch to place the frogs on the spoon. . . . Delicious fun for everyone--even frogs!" -- Kirkus Reviews
