cover image Frog and Fly: Six Slurpy Stories

Frog and Fly: Six Slurpy Stories

Jeff Mack. Philomel, $12.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-399-25617-2

A frog with a sticky—and sharp—tongue, and a friendly fly are a dynamic comedic team in six brief, silly episodes perfect for beginning readers. Tricky Frog usually gets the upper hand, ending up with a tasty fly snack in most of the pair’s exchanges. “Nice to eet you?” Frog says to Fly in the first story. “No. Nice to meet you,” corrects Fly, before Frog gets the last laugh in the final panels. “SLURP! No. Nice to eat you!” Each vignette turns on a simple joke, as Mack (Hush Little Polar Bear) plays with language, opposites, and sound effects to land his punch lines; in one story, after Dog and Frog send Fly away with a “Yuck! Shoo, Fly!” Frog welcomes him with a “Yum! Good morning, Fly!” Young readers will enjoy watching the jokes play out in Mack’s crisp comic-book panels, which are peppered with clearly lettered dialogue and thought bubbles. This expressive and personable duo provides a spot-on brand of joke book–style humor that children will find plenty entertaining. Ages 3–6. Agent: Ruben Pfeffer, East/West Literary Agency. (Mar.)