A rhyming picture book about seven young tree frogs who work together to find their way home, Night Night, Tree Frogs is a delightful read for young children.
With a rhythmic pattern similar to “one little monkey jumping on the bed,” Night Night, Tree Frogs tells a story of a frog on a tree whose friends join him one by one, eventually weighing down the branch enough that it snaps.
The friends are in a tizzy at first. “Hopping in the grass./This way and that way,/ In circles they would pass,” writes author Julie Carroll. But then the first tree frog on the branch comes to their rescue, calling to the other six: “ ‘May I have your attention please!/ If we keep this up,/ We’ll all end up with fleas./ If we all hop together,/ Maybe we can find our tree.” With this leadership, they find their way back to the original tree, and are all able to go to sleep—but on separate branches this time.
The charming tale is enhanced by colorful, polished illustrations, wherein the tree frogs are distinguishable by differently colored polo shirts and props, such as a tiny guitar or a jump rope. The plot is straightforward, and its familiarity when re-read will appeal to many young children. The simple diction is approachable for early readers.
In one spot, the meter is stretched (When the fifth tree frog came,/ The limb began to bend./ Things got worse/ When the sixth tree frog joined in”), but this is a minor distraction, easily corrected by removing “tree” and leaving the line as, “When the sixth frog joined in.”
Overall, Night Night, Tree Frogs offers beginning readers a fun and easy new tale to love.
