Ribbiting Reads

At one of the local independent bookstores in my area, McLean & Eakin Booksellers of Petoskey, there are special shelves for the pop-up, movable parts, books.  Although they don't survive many circulations in a library media center, I do add titles to my personal collection at home whenever I can; bringing them to school to incorporate them into a unit or storytime because they are fascinating to all.  It was with delight when several weeks ago I spotted one written by Mo Willems.

It's no news to people who follow this blog but I am a huge Mo Willems fan. I have written reviews here about City Dog, Country Frog, We are In A Book!, Knuffle Bunny Free: an unexpected diversion, and Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator.  How I missed Big Frog Can't Fit In: a pop-out book by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books For Children, 2009) is a mystery to me.

When the cover is opened this huge frog springs out extending beyond the pages, arms and legs outstretched. A single tab pulls to move her eyelids and tongue.

POOR BIG FROG.
SHE CAN'T FIT IN THIS BOOK.

She dreams of being littler with shorter legs or more nimble, double-jointed?  She finally plops down arms crossed, long legs, bent and stretched, as tears slide down her froggy cheeks.    But frog has friends (you know who) and they have a plan.

In all shapes and sizes, with looks and gestures as singular as each of them, sixteen green pals of the pond (plus one) pop up.  Ladders, brooms and one big idea are just what their over-sized friend needs. One size does not fit all. 

With the assistance of paper engineer, Bruce Foster, Mo Willems has written and illustrated a very durable book able to handle multiple readings by the littlest of hands.  A little over nine by nine inches square in bright colors of orange, light blues, red, purple and taupe, yellow and lots of green, readers feel a kinship with the frog and her larger-than-life proportions.  Facial expressions and movements of the adaptable amphibians are very "hoppy" with a high fun factor.

Big Frog Can't Fit In: a pop out book by Mo Willems presents an approach to being different, how friends who accept a difference will make changes so you don't feel so bad, with delightful reveals.  This book also prompted me to think about how else it could be used with children other than for pure enjoyment.  I thought about other similar books about being bigger, frog books and books about making pop-up books.

So I gathered books from my own personal shelves and walked out of my public library with a stack last Saturday.  I put everything together in a Prezi.  Enjoy.

Big Frog Can't Fit In on Prezi