Book Review: National Center for the Study of Children's Literature

Beiser, Tim. Bradley McGogg, The Very Fine Frog. Illus. Rachel Berman, Toronto: Tundra, 2008. ISBN 978-0-88776-864-4. Can. $19.99/ U.S. $17.95. Ages 4-9.

Review by Marie Soriano
National Center for the Study of Children's Literature
San Diego State University
Department of English and Comparative Literature

One day frog Bradley McGogg finds there is no food left in his pantry. What is he to do?! He decides to ask his neighbors to share their food with him. He visits the mouse, bear, hare, and cow. But they do not have the tasty food he's expecting! This hilarious story can be used from a number of angles to teach children. Adults could use this book to teach children that people have personal tastes, that people from different cultures eat different foods/dishes, that animals have different diets, or even that we need to be and can be polite when we don't wish to eat the food that someone has graciously offered us. Rachel Berman's illustrations in beautifully detailed watercolor capture frog's personality and bring the anthropomorphic animals to vivid life, bringing back memories of The Wind in the Willows. Frog wears Birkenstocks, Hare wears a redcoat and tails with a checkered waistcoast and Bear wears a yellow and white beanie and vest ensemble. The colors are neutral, toned down like cream, olive green and shades of brown. The illustrations are contained, not all over the page, and the text is above or below the pictures, so this might be a good book for kids who have outgrown simpler picture books.

"Best Book!" says Canadian Children's Book Centre

Bradley McGogg, the Very Fine Frog made the list of the 2010 Best Books for Kids in the category Picture Books for Kids Ages 1 and Up by the Canadian Children's Book Centre!

The Canadian Children's Book Centre is a national, not-for-profit organization founded in 1976. The CCBC is dedicated to encouraging, promoting and supporting the reading, writing, illustrating and publishing of Canadian books for young readers.

Word of Mouse Book Review

If I had to judge Bradley McGogg, the Very Fine Frog ...
Word of Mouse Book Reviews
August 20, 2010

... Now the story is great but the rhyming text is so fun to read and so different than any other book that it makes this worth the read and purchase. I can't imagine any child getting sick of this book or any parent for that matter.

Berman's illustrations match the fresh and unique text. Her depictions of the Brad McGogg the finicky frog in his sandals, jaunty bow tie and striped overalls are magnificent (who could not love a frog in sandals?!) I love the expressions that all the animals in the story have, especially Brad. I love their clothes and the animals' table settings and the fine food they prepare. This book is truly an exploration in epicurean delights that would please any aficionado!

(To read the full review, please go to: HERE )

MAY 2010 TOUR DATES

Tim Beiser will be making the following personal appearances during the month of May:

May 3 - Orangeville Public Library, Orangeville, Ontario
May 3 - Princess Elizabeth School, Orangeville, Ontario
May 4 - Holy Name School, Toronto, Ontario
May 5 - St. Cornelius School, Caledon, Ontario
May 5 - Albion-Bolton Community Centre, Bolton, Ontario
May 10 - E.W. Foster Elementary, Milton, Ontario
May 20 - Streetsville Branch Library, Missisaugua, Ontario

In the News

Children's book author visits Harrow schools

The Harrow News, Tues. April 13, 2010

Page 6

Harrow Junior school was recently visited by Tim Beiser, author of the award nominated children's book, Bradley McGogg: The Very Fine Frog. Beiser spoke to students from both Harrow Junior and Harrow Senior School about his books and becoming an author.

by Heather Gignac

Students from harrow Junior and Senior Public Schools partook in some interactive storytelling when award nominated author, Tim Beiser, came for a visit on April 1.

Meeting with a range of students from grades one through four, Beiser took the classes through a reading of his award nominated new children's book, Bradley McGogg: A Very Fine Frog and then a dramatization of the popular Grim's Fairy Tale, The Frog Prince.

Bradley McGogg: A Very fine Frog is Beiser's first children's book. It tells the story of a frog who lives in a bog and finds his food pantry suddenly bare. Bradley Mcgogg must set out to meet his neighbours in the hopes that they will share some of their food with him, only to find that not all creatures eat alike.

"I think the children really enjoyed Mr. Beiser's visit," said Cathy Franklin, librarian for Harrow Junior School. "His book is very clever and creative, it's all written in rhyme and the kids really have a fun time reading it."

Bradley McGogg: A Very Fine Frog is nominated for an Ontario Library Association Forest of Reading Award in the Blue Spruce category. All nominated books are read by select groups of students throughout the province who then vote on their favourite for a winner.

"The awards are set in place to encourage children of all ages to read," said Franklin.

Harrow Junior Senior School students are partaking in this year's Forest of Reading program and will be voting on their favourite book in the blue Spruce category. There are nine other nominees along with Beiser's book.

In the News

Children’s author comes to local school during area tour

Posted By Ron Giofu/The Amherstburg Echo

AMHERSTBURG — A Toronto-based author up for a children's book award stopped by Malden Central Public School to share his work with the public.

J. Timothy Hunt, who writes the children's books under the name Tim Beiser, concluded a three-day trip to the Windsor-Essex County area Thursday as part of a tour promoting his book "Bradley McGogg, the Very Fine Frog."

The book is nominated for an Ontario Library Association "Blue Spruce Award" for books geared towards students in the primary grades. Students in Malden Central's youngest age groups were those who heard him read from his books Thursday afternoon.

"This is fun," said Hunt. "I've got two little boys at home so I love being around kids. I love talking to kids, answering their questions and letting them use their imagination. It makes me really happy."

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To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

APRIL 2010 TOUR DATES

Tim Beiser will be making the following personal appearances during the month of April:

April 1 - Harrow Junior P.S., Harrow, Ontario
April 1 - Malden Central P.S, Amherstburg, Ontario
April 9 - Adam Beck PS., Scarborough, Ontario
April 14 - Valley Farm PS, Pickering, Ontario
April 19 - Woburn Jr. P.S., Scarborough, Ontario
April 20 - Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, Ontario
April 21 - Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, Ontario
April 27 - Williamsburg P.S., Kitchener, Ontario
April 28 - St. Michael the Archangel School, Barrie

CBA Libris Awards Nomination

Bradley McGogg, The Very Fine Frog has been shortlisted for the Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award for CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR!

The CBA Libris Awards are voted on by members of the book industry. The award ceremony will be held on May 29, 2010, during the CBA's National Conference and will be hosted by CBC Radio's Shelah Rogers.

The Canadian Booksellers Association is a national trade association representing trade and campus booksellers in all provinces and territories. Members includes Canadian bookstores of all sizes, including independents, chains, specialty stores, campus bookstores as well as more than 200 publishers and distributers. Some 1,000 bookstores are represented by CBA (www.cbabook.org).

For a complete list of the nominees, CLICK HERE.

Bradley McGogg YouTube Video

Tim Beiser performs at TINARS for Tots