91. Frog and Toad Are Friends

91. Frog and Toad Are Friends. An I Can Read Book. Arnold Lobel. 1970. HarperCollins. 64 pages. [Source: Bought] [3 stars, early chapter book, children's classic, animal fantasy]

Frog ran up the path to Toad's house. He knocked on the front door. There was no answer, "Toad, Toad," shouted Frog, "wake up. It is spring!" "Blah," said a voice from inside the house. "Toad! Toad!" cried Frog. "The sun is shining! The snow is melting. Wake up!" "I am not here," said the voice.

Premise/plot: Frog and Toad Are Friends is an early chapter book. It contains five stories: "Spring," "The Story," "A Lost Button," "A Swim" and "The Letter."

In "Spring" Frog tricks Toad into thinking it is MAY (instead of April) so that he will wake up from his winter hibernation.

In "The Story," Frog asks his friend, Toad, to tell him a story. He finds this an impossible request. After a huge fit, Frog ends up telling Toad a story instead. It is a story of Toad NOT being able to tell a story.

In "A Lost Button," Toad throws an absolute fit over a lost button. He is the exact opposite of Pete the Cat. He is MELTING DOWN. Will the button be found?!

In "A Swim" Toad is embarrassed to be seen in his bathing suit. He is obstinate about it--obviously.

In "The Letter," Frog cheers up Toad by writing him a letter and sending it via snail mail. Literally--a snail delivering a letter.

My thoughts: I love Frog and Toad. I do. I just love them. While this isn't my favorite-or-best Frog and Toad book, it is still worth reading. It contains five stories: Spring, The Story, A Lost Button, A Swim, and The Letter.

My favorites from the collection include "Spring" in which Frog tricks his friend into getting out of bed by changing his calendar and "The Letter" in which Frog cheers up his friend by sending him a letter in the mail.

All the stories highlight this special friendship--highlights each character's strengths and weaknesses. I would definitely recommend any Frog and Toad book!

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

107. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? Dr. Seuss. 1970. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
 

First sentence:  Oh, the wonderful things Mr. Brown can do! He can go like a cow. He can go MOO MOO. Mr. Brown can do it. How about you?

Premise/plot: Mr. Brown knows so many wonderful noises. But do you? Mr. Brown shows little readers all the noises he can make, and, he challenges them to copy him.

My thoughts: This is one of my all-time favorite, favorite, favorite Dr. Seuss books. If I am ever harsh, cruel, or mean in one of my reviews about a rhyming picture book, blame Dr. Seuss. Well, the school of Dr. Seuss anyway. (I also love, love, love, love HAND, HAND, FINGERS, THUMB by Al Perkins.)

There are differences between the book-book and the board book of Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? Just something to keep in mind. 

And completely off topic, Mr. Brown certainly looks a lot like Mr. Noodle from Elmo's World.

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

59. Pancakes, Pancakes

 

Pancakes, Pancakes! Eric Carle. 1970. 36 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Kee-ke-ri-kee crowed the rooster. Jack woke up, looked out the window and thought, "I'd like to have a big pancake for breakfast."

Premise/plot: Jack wants a pancake--a BIG pancake. His mom tells him he'll have to help her if he wants a pancake. This help will include cutting wheat, taking it to the miller in town, having it ground into flour, gathering an egg from a hen, milking a cow, churning butter, and getting a jar of jam from the cellar. Some of these tasks take time--a good deal of time--and effort. Will Jack enjoy the pancakes more for all the work he invested in it?!

My thoughts: I like this one.  I do. I like the text more than the illustrations. The book is a very old-fashioned look at how we "get" our food. Flour, eggs, and milk don't come from the store. Pancakes don't come from a mix or restaurant.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Old Hat, New Hat

Old Hat, New Hat. Stan and Jan Berenstain. 1970. 36 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Old hat. Old hat. New hat. New hat. New hat. New hat. New hat.

Premise/plot: A young bear--a bear that may or may not be part of the Berenstain Bear family--goes into a hat store. Will he buy a new hat or decide that his old hat is best?!

My thoughts: I'm not sure if the bear cub in this one is actually-actually Brother Bear. But even if it isn't him, it's likely a chum of his. As I mentioned, this one features a young bear looking for a new hat. Before the book is done, he'll try on EVERY SINGLE HAT in the shop.

This one surprised me. I found it FUN. He has an opinion on EVERY hat he tries on. It was also fun to watch the expressions on the store clerk's face.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2019 Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Aristocats: A Counting Book

The Aristocats: A Counting Book. Walt Disney Productions Presents. 1970. Whitman Tell-a-Tale Book. 26 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: 1 One lovely mother cat sitting in the sun, purring purrs, licking fur--ONE, ONE, ONE. Her name is Duchess. 2 Here's a little lady kitten singing songs for you, singing with her mother cat--TWO, TWO, TWO. Her name is Marie. 3 Well, look! A brother kitten comes to practice with Marie while Duchess helps them learn the tunes--THREE, THREE, THREE. His name is Berlioz. Another brother kitten's here, painting on the floor, painting all his family--FOUR, FOUR, FOUR. Toulouse is his name.

Premise/plot: This counting book features the stars of the Disney movie Aristocats. The retelling is a bit forced in places since it is a COUNTING book and not a regular story book. And this retelling also isn't true to the movie!

My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, CRAZY LOVE the movie Aristocats. When I saw this book, I had to have it.

Text 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Lambert The Sheepish Lion

Lambert The Sheepish Lion. Bill Peet. Walt Disney Company. 1970/1977. 42 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Mr. Stork was having a busy night. He had to deliver bundles of babies to all kinds of places. As he flew over the trees, Mr. Stork was glad he had just one bundle left.

Premise/plot: Mr. Stork is delivering new lambs to a sheep meadow. One sheep had no new lamb to welcome. Not until Mr. Stork shook out the bag and Lambert tumbled out. But this little lamb didn't look like the others--and he meowed?! The bond between mother and child was strong though from the start. When Mr. Stork tries to "correct" his mistake, he learns that a mother's love can be fierce. Later readers will see that a son's love can be just as fierce.

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love, crazy love Lambert the Sheepish Lion. I have since I was a child. I want to say we had this on record? or record story book? It's a fun Disney short, well worth watching again and again and again and again. The book is definitely a keeper.

This is a very personal story for me. Not only did I love it as a child, I could identify with it strongly. And still can.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Young Readers

A Bargain for Frances

A Bargain for Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 1970/1992. HarperCollins. 64 pages.

It was a fine summer day, and after breakfast Frances said, "I am going to play with Thelma."
"Be careful," said Mother.
"Why do I have to be careful?" said Frances.
"Remember the last time?" said Mother. 
"Which time was that?" said Frances. 
"That was the time you played catch with Thelma's new boomerang," said Mother. "Thelma did all the throwing, and you came home with lumps on your head."
"I remember that time now," said Frances.
"And do you remember the other time last winter?" said Mother. 
"I remember that time too," said Frances. "That was the first time there was ice on the pond. Thelma wanted to go skating, and she told me to try the ice first."
"Who came home wet?" said Mother. "You or Thelma?"
"I came home wet," said Frances.
"Yes," said Mother. "That is why I say be careful. Because when you play with Thelma you always get the worst of it."

Poor Frances! Her mother was right. Again. Thelma had ulterior motives with wanting to play tea party with her friend, Frances. And Frances got tricked! Tricked into trading her money for Thelma's old tea set. Her ugly old plastic tea set. (A set so ugly that even Gloria sees it as junk.) Thelma then uses the money to buy a new tea set--the exact tea set that Frances had been saving for for months and months. Will Frances get even with Thelma? Can she outwit this trickster? Can this friendship be saved?!

I have enjoyed rereading the Frances books. Have you read any of these? Do you have a favorite?

• Bedtime for Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Garth Williams. 1960/1996. HarperCollins. 32 pages.
  
• A Baby Sister for Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 1964/1992. HarperCollins. 32 pages.
• Bread and Jam for Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 1964/1992. HarperCollins. 32 pages.
• A Birthday for Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 1968/1995. HarperCollins. 32 pages.
• Best Friends for Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 1969/1994. HarperCollins. 32 pages.
• A Bargain for Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 1970/1992. HarperCollins. 64 pages.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Frog and Toad Are Friends

Frog and Toad Are Friends. An I Can Read Book. Arnold Lobel. 1970. HarperCollins. 64 pages.

Frog ran up the path to Toad's house. He knocked on the front door. There was no answer, "Toad, Toad," shouted Frog, "wake up. It is spring!" "Blah," said a voice from inside the house. "Toad! Toad!" cried Frog. "The sun is shining! The snow is melting. Wake up!" "I am not here," said the voice. 

I love Frog and Toad. I do. I just love them. While this isn't my favorite-or-best Frog and Toad book, it is still worth reading. It contains five stories: Spring, The Story, A Lost Button, A Swim, and The Letter.

My favorites from the collection include "Spring" in which Frog tricks his friend into getting out of bed by changing his calendar and "The Letter" in which Frog cheers up his friend by sending him a letter in the mail.

All the stories highlight this special friendship--highlights each character's strengths and weaknesses. I would definitely recommend any Frog and Toad book!

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Whose Mouse Are You?

Whose Mouse Are You? By Robert Kraus. Illustrations by Jose Aruego. 1970. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.

Whose mouse are you?
Nobody's mouse.
Where is your mother?
Inside the cat.
Where is your father?
Caught in a trap.
Where is your sister?
Far from home.
Where is your brother?
I have none.
What will you do?

What can a little mouse do to set things right? You might just be surprised at all the twists in this one!

This strange little picture book is celebrating its fortieth year. Are you familiar with Whose Mouse Are You? Was it a part of your childhood? Are you familiar with Robert Kraus?

I didn't grow up with Whose Mouse Are You? In fact, I didn't discover this one until a few weeks ago. I was familiar with Leo the Late Bloomer. And it was because I recognized the author's name that I picked this one up.

What is this one about? A mouse that has nothing...and everything. It's a strange little book in some ways, in many ways. Yet it's an interesting kind of strange, I think. Have you read this one? What do you think?

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Morris Goes To School

Morris Goes To School. B. Wiseman. 1970. HarperCollins. 64 pages.

Morris the Moose wanted candy. He went to the wrong store. The man in the store said, "We don't sell candy. Can't you read?" Then he showed Morris the candy store.

Has Morris gotten any smarter since his last adventure? Or is he still a silly not-so-little moose? Is wanting candy enough reason to want to go to school to learn to read and count? It is for Morris! So he tries out school. For one day. Will it be enough to master what he needs to know?

I liked this one growing up. It is silly. It is so obviously silly that it works.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers