City Dog, Country Frog

City Dog, Country Frog. Mo Willems. 2010. Hyperion. 64 pages.

City Dog didn't stop on that first day in the country; he ran as far and as fast as he could.

Change is a part of life. Seasons come and go. Life goes on and on and on. You enjoy living life in the moment. You treasure good times, good memories. Such is the message of Mo Willems' more contemplative picture book, City Dog, Country Frog. Within the book, City Dog makes two friends. Both in springtime. The first spring he meets a Country Frog. The second spring he meets a Country Chipmunk.

Readers meet City Dog (in the country) on five occasions: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring Again. In the first three, City Dog is happy with his friend Country Frog. In spring, they play froggy games. In summer, they play doggy games. And in fall, they sit back, relax, and remember. In winter, City Dog is surprised by the absence of his friend. The moment of loss, of sadness, isn't over done. It's quiet. It's profound. But spring comes again, and with it comes a new opportunity for friendship, for life, for reconnecting.





© Becky Laney of Young Readers