The Name is Frog... Bullfrog

Yesterday we welcomed an animal expert at my library today for our weekly summer reading program event. Ms. B showed some amazingly cool animals and shared great information about them. One of two that I can't get out of my head is the West African Burrow Bullfrog. He's a giant fellow and was quite mellow as he was walked around the room of the one hundred plus children and guardians. You're like, "Wow! That's a huge frog," especially after you learn that he'll double his size (he was currently the size squished honeydew mellon). And then... Ms. B talked about the what he ate. Insects. Sure. Detectible. Mice? Yes. Wait! What??? Mice?! Yes. They eat mice. And to help them swallow said creature they use their buggy eyes, which pop out of their head, to push the little thing in! Gulp! Wow. I'm still in shock!

So! What does a Children's Librarian do when you got mice-eating bullfrogs on the brain? Why, make a reading list about frogs and toads, of course!

• Toads on Toast written by Linda Bailey and illus. by Colin Jack
• The Frog Who Wanted to See the Sea written and illus. by Guy Billout
• Toad written and illus. by Ruth Brown
• Frogs written and illus. by Gail Gibbons
• Gem written and illus. by Holly Hobbie
• Jump, Frog, Jump! written by Robert Kalan and illus. by Byron Barton
• Excuse Me! written and illus. by Lisa Kopelke
• Frog and Toad books written and illus. by Arnold Lobel 
• The Frogs and Toads All Sang books written by Arnold Lobel and illus. by Adrianne Lobel
• Froggy books written by Jonathan London and illus. by Frank Remkiewicz
• Ah Ha! written and illus. by Jeff Mack 
• Once There Was A Bull... (Frog) written by Rick Walton and illus. by Greg Hally 
• Bullfrog Pops!  written by Rick Walton and illus. by Chris McCallister 
• The Biggest Frog in Australia written and illus. by Susan Roth
• Hop Jump written and illus. by Ellen Stoll Walsh
• Tuesday written and illus. by David Wiesner
• Big Frog Can't Fit In: A Pop-Up Book written and illus. by Mo Willems

Do you have a favorite frog or toad story book?

P.S. The other creature that is on my mind is the coatimundi, which is a mammal native to Texas. I got to hold a six-month, bottle fed little one. She was so wiggly and curious, and her paws were uber soft like baby toes. SO ADORABLE!