Frog and Toad

Frog and Toad are the main characters in a series of easy-reader children's books, written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel (who also wrote Mouse Soup).

Frog and Toad
Front cover of the first book with seal affixed: Caldecott Honor Book (1971)
AuthorArnold Lobel
IllustratorLobel
CountryUnited States
GenreChildren's picture book, short story collection
PublisherHarper & Row
Published1970–1979
No. of books4

Each book contains five simple, often humorous, sometimes poignant, short stories chronicling the exploits of the anthropomorphic frog and his friend, a toad. Some of their adventures include attempting to fly a kite, cleaning Toad's dirty house instead of postponing the chores to the next day, and finding out different reasons for isolation.

Frog is taller with a green shade, and is more cheery and relaxed than Toad; Toad is shorter and stout with a brown shade, and while just as caring and friendly as Frog, is also the more serious and uptight of the duo.

In 2008, three of Arnold Lobel's uncolored, unpublished Frog and Toad books were discovered in an estate sale. They were consolidated into two books and colored by Lobel's daughter Adrianne Lobel.[1]

Origins

When Lobel was sick and out of school for much of second grade he kept himself busy by drawing. He used his animal drawings as a way of coping with the social insecurity of his return and to make friends. His books about animal friends, such as Frog and Toad, were drawn from these experiences. Lobel himself wrote "Frog and Toad are really two aspects of myself."[2] In The New Yorker, his daughter, set designer Adrianne Lobel, suggested "that there’s another dimension to the series’s sustained popularity. Frog and Toad are 'of the same sex, and they love each other'," and that "'Frog and Toad' really was the beginning of him coming out".[3]

Books

Omnibus editions
  • The Frog and Toad Treasury (1996), ISBN 0060267887
    includes Frog and Toad are Friends, Frog and Toad Together, and Frog and Toad All Year
  • Adventures of Frog and Toad (2005), ISBN 0760771049
    includes Frog and Toad are Friends, Frog and Toad Together, and Days with Frog and Toad
  • Frog and Toad Storybook Treasury (2013), ISBN 0062292587
    includes all four original books

Two books that contain references to Frog and Toad were completed by Lobel's daughter Adrianne from uncolored material for three books. They are written, illustrated, and delivered in a manner different from the four Frog and Toad books.

  • The Frogs and Toads All Sang (2009), color by Adrianne Lobel, LCCN 2008-51768
  • Odd Owls and Stout Pigs: A Book of Nonsense (2009), color by Adrianne Lobel, LCCN 2009-1406

Awards

Frog and Toad are Friends was a Caldecott Honor Book, or runner-up for the annual American Library Association (ALA) Caldecott Medal, which recognizes children's picture book illustration.[8] In 2012 it was ranked number 15 among the "Top 100 Picture Books" in a survey published by School Library Journal.[9]

Frog and Toad Together was a Newbery Honor Book, which recognizes children's literature.[10]

Frog and Toad All Year won a Christopher Award in 1977 – one of five, at a time when books for young people was the only award category.[11] The awards recognize "media that 'affirm the highest values of the human spirit'  ... Award winners encourage audiences to see the better side of human nature and motivate artists and the general public to use their best instincts on behalf of others."[12]

Adaptations

Screen

In the 1980s, Churchill Films produced 18-minute and 30-minute adaptations of the first two books using clay animation (claymation) stop-motion.[13] Producer George McQuilkin, executive producer Robert B. Churchill. Both films were directed by John Clark Matthews, credited also as theme music composer and one principal animator. Frog and Toad were voiced by Will Ryan and Hal Smith.[14][15] They were narrated by Lobel. Frog and Toad Are Friends was released on May 23, 1985; Frog and Toad Together on September 3, 1987. They were distributed to the home market only (direct-to-video).

Stage

The Frog and Toad books inspired a Broadway musical, A Year with Frog and Toad. The musical was commissioned by Lobel's daughter, Adrianne Lobel, played off-Broadway, and ran briefly on Broadway in 2003. It was nominated for three Tony Awards. Prior to this, the books had inspired a non-musical play, "Frog and Toad (Forever)" written by Y York, and performed at Seattle Children's Theatre (1998) and First Stage Milwaukee (1999).

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References
  1. Block, Melissa (8 June 2009). "Transcript: 'Frog And Toad' Leap Off The Page Again". NPR.org. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  2. "Arnold Lobel: Biography". Parents’ Choice Children Media and Toy Reviews. Parents’ Choice. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  3. Stokes, Colin (31 May 2016). "Frog and Toad': An Amphibious Celebration of Same-Sex Love". New Yorker. New Yorker. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  4. Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel" (starred review). Kirkus Reviews. August 1, 1970. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  5. "Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel". Kirkus Reviews. April 1, 1972. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  6. "Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel by Arnold Lobel". Kirkus Reviews. April 1, 1976. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  7. "Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel by Arnold Lobel". Kirkus Reviews. October 1, 1979. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  8. "Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938–Present". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). American Library Association (ALA.org). Retrieved 2015-09-18.
  9. Bird, Elizabeth (July 6, 2012). "Top 100 Picture Books Poll Results". A Fuse #8 Production. Blog. School Library Journal (blog.schoollibraryjournal.com). Retrieved 2012-08-19.
  10. "Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922–Present". ALSC. ALA. Retrieved 2015-09-18.
  11. "Christopher Awards 1970–1979". Book Help Web (bookhelpweb.com). Archived 2007-02-06. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  12. "The Christopher Awards". The Christophers (christophers.org). Retrieved 2015-09-19.
      Official lists of winners are published online only from 2001.
  13. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 264. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  14. "Frog and Toad Are Friends (1985)". Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com). Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  15. "Frog and Toad Together (1987)". IMDb. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
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