Author: Lori Rotter
Illustrator: Vaughan Duck
Publisher: LFR Creative, LLC
Released: June 3, 2024
Format: Kindle, Paperback
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 979-8988752929
Page Count: 36
Price: Paperback $9.99, Kindle $1.99
Reviewer: Ellwyn Autumn
Rating: 5 Lemon Drops
Filled with vivid characters and a touching message, Lori Rotter and Vaughan Duck have delivered yet another winning story!
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the Reedsy Discovery and agreed to give an honest review.
Review:
Book Summary:
Freckles the frog is downhearted and feeling bad about himself. He can’t ribbit like the other frogs at the pond and will not tryout for the Spring Chorus.
Instead of improving things, his friends’ assistance backfires, causing his ribbits to turn into ribb-achoos, ribb-hiccups, and ribb-squeaks!
After much perseverance, Doc Mookie finds a solution and Freckles lets out an enormous CROAK!
Despite Doc Mookie’s cure, Freckles realizes his croak is still different from the other frogs’. After his initial hesitation, he discovers his unique style and overcomes self-doubt with the support of his friends, and croaks his heart out.
Opinion:
Freckles’ Best Ribbit is narrated in the third person. With a forest setting, the story introduces a lovable cast of woodland animals that come in a range of colors. In this group, there’s Freckles the green frog, Georgie the pink rabbit, Cece the blue raccoon, Doc Mookie the turquoise owl, and Calvin the brown bear.
The story highlights the challenges of Freckles Frog as he navigates through a personal issue that leaves him feeling quite different from other frogs. He can’t ribbit.
The story’s lively rhymes and clever onomatopoeia will hook young listeners until the very end. Young readers are given the opportunity to actively participate in the read-aloud by the author’s use of repetitive text.
The eye is drawn to brightly colored text in different sizes that adds to the humor in the story. Freckles’ large exclamations seem to leap off the page.
The humorous misadventures of Freckles’ friends as they try to help him find the right way to ribbit will make children (and grown-ups) laugh out loud. They will relate to his struggle of feeling different and attempting to fit in.
His example will teach them that self-acceptance and self-confidence are nurtured by persistence and true friendship.
Another element in the story I appreciated was how Freckles used his newfound confidence to help others find theirs. He literaly models the adage, “Pay it forward.”
Brimming with humor, color, and relatable characters, Vaughan Duck’s illustrations are sure to be adored by young readers. The combination of Freckles’ exasperated expressions and Calvin’s sleepy face after being startled by Freckles’ loud croak were especially amusing.
I give it 5 Lemon Drops!
Classroom Connection:
Age Range: The author recommends 3-5 years.
Targeted Vocabulary:
Onomatopoeia, tryouts, puckered, worry, complained, allergies, swooped, absurd, mend, stammered, gulped
Resources:
About The Author:
Lori Rotter is an award-winning toy designer and debut picture book author.
Her large extended family keeps her laughing and inspires her story and toy ideas. Like in her toys, Lori enjoys sparking the imagination and adding small details for kids to discover.
Lori lives in New York with her husband, lots of fish, and two silly French bulldogs.
About the Illustrator:
Vaughan loves drawing pictures that make kids giggle. He lives downunder in Australia where it’s always sunny.
You can visit Vaughan at vaughanduck.com.
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