Dear Treefrog by Joyce Sidman

Dear Treefrog Reviews

• 
  Kathryn

  4.5 STARS So beautiful, touching, sensitive. I love how the little treefrog in the yard helps the little girl adjust to her new home, helps her cope with her fears and loneliness, simply by being there. We see the girl's feelings evolve throughout the year, as she begins school (more fear) to finding a classmate with whom she connects--throughout, the treefrog is a source of comfort, wonder, joy. I especially appreciate the section where some kids (who don't end up being a good fit as friends) come over and she doesn't feel comfortable introducing them to the treefrog, yet when she meets the boy in class with whom she has a true connection, she is eager to introduce him to her precious amphibian friend. The poems are lovely and each page has accompanying informational text about treefrogs and back matter has a little more information about how to find them and what we can do to keep their habitat safe. The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is that I do wish there was a bibliography for the non-fiction info, but as it is mostly a fiction book, I am not deducting much for that. The illustrations, while not my typical favorite style, are so immersive and reflective of the heart of each poem that I ended up loving them, too. Highly recommend!
  
  A few of my favorite poems:
  
  To Find You
  I must be
  a little different
  from my
  everyday self
  
  As bees whiz
  leave tickle
  heels sink
  into soft dirt
  
  I look
  and breathe
  and
  settle
  
  growing
  calmer
  steadier
  a little less lonely
  
  ---------------
  There's someone
  I want you to meet
  Treefrog
  
  Someone
  who likes to look
  
  Someone
  who doesn't mind waiting
  
  Someone
  whose smile
  reminds me of yours
  
  Can you please come out and say hello?
• 
  Cheryl

  Squee! A new Sidman!
  ---
  Just so you know, a four star Sidman is better than a four star just about anyone else.
  
  The cartoony illustrations here are not to my taste, but some of the aspects of them appealed to me, and I'm sure the target audience finds them all apt.
  
  Besides the beautiful poetry and the scientific notes at the end, there's bonus material & appeal in the book itself. First, it's a very calming book, and even points out that being quiet and patient is the way to find a treefrog (or most other critters). And it has a reference to doing yoga in gym, because a child's pose reminds the girl of a tree frog's natural pose. Second, it has (in fine print) labels on other wonders of nature, including bee balm and marsh marigold.
  
  I did not know tree frogs lived in the US. Listen for the sound of 'running a thumb over a comb, except louder and more musical.'
• 
  Andrew

  Dear Treefrog is a delightful story-in-verse told by a girl who observes and befriends a tree frog in her garden. Throughout the seasons, she and her froggy friend watch all the life in the garden, including many different insects and flowers, but the tree frog tends to hide when the more rowdy kids come to cartwheel. As someone who has befriended many tree frogs in my youth, I encourage readers to take a moment to be still with this book, and perhaps you may encounter an amphibian in your own garden journeys!
• 
  Dylan Teut

  Absolutely exquisite.
  Some of the poems sent chills down my spine.
  And I want to go find a treefrog.
• 
  Jesse

  We enjoyed the illustrations and most of the poems. My favorite part was Mara repeating (and repeating and repeating) “Wookit Mama! A Fwog! Wookit Mama! A Fwog! Wibbit! Wibbit!” ❤️
• 
  Katie

  Lovely book - part poetry part tree frog facts.
• 
  Ms. B

  3.75 stars. Even though this is a book of poems by the talented
  Joyce Sidman, this one is more of a story about a young girl and the treefrog she spots at her new home. The bright colorful illustrations and inviting cover by
  Diana Sudyka is what will it make popular with kids and parents looking for books to checkout during visits to the library.
• 
  Elisabeth

  4.5 stars. Beautiful poetic storytelling with information about treefrogs included with each page.
• 
  Catherine Mustread

  Great combo of poetry, new surroundings and science/environment in a picture book.
• 
  Alyssa Gudenburr

  A GREAT blend of poetry with facts about treefrogs. This would be a great book to introduce poetry in a classroom while teaching facts about treefrogs.
• 
  Juli Anna

  Sensitive and lush.
• 
  Shoshanna

  Beautiful, twee, educational!
• 
  Jenny

  Combining poetry and scientific fact in Sidman's characteristic style, readers learn about the treefrog.
  
• 
  Tasha

  When a girl moves to a new home, she hides in the garden and discovers a treefrog there. When she watches how still the frog is, she slows down too. Looking closely at the frog, she notices his sticky toes and long feet. Iin order to find the frog, she has to take deep breaths and look closely. The frog helps her feel less lonely. He hides when a group of kids visits, something that the girl is thankful for since they were loud and trampled the garden. When a storm blows through, the frog not only survives it but is refreshed by the water. Heading to school, the girl curls up like a frog on her yoga mat. That’s when she meets a classmate who is quiet too, someone she can trust to show the treefrog, another friend.
  
  Told in a series of poems, this picture book is a stellar mix of verse, exploring nature, and treefrog information. The verse is from the little girl’s perspective and readers get to know her quiet well as she is worried at first about the move, finds solace in the treefrog in her garden, and eventually is brave enough to make a new friend who is thoughtful too and wants to spend time outside watching. The treefrog facts are offered in the corner of the page, supported by each poem and celebrating the unique elements of this creature.
  
  The illustrations by Sudyka are lush and full of green. They show a wild garden by the house with plants taller than the girl herself. The frog is there for readers to know on the first pages. The garden frames the girl and frog with plants and greenery, offering them an almost tropical paradise in which to form their friendship.
  
  Fantastic froggy friendship and facts. Appropriate for ages 4-8.
• 
  Sunday

  An introduction to the tree frog and the observation skills necessary to locate and observe ;). Each two-page layout has an easy to read aloud short poem (from the girl's perspective) paired with a short expository text on some characteristic of the tree frog. The poems contain some facts about the tree frog while also revealing how to locate and observe the frogs, even what to notice - all in service of a young girl who has moved to a new neighborhood and finds solace in the presence of this creature. Across the seasons, while the frog moves through its life cycle and hibernation, the girl makes a friend who also cherishes the presence of the tree frog.
  
  So much potential for conversations - depending on the needs of your students. There's one poem in which Sidman compares the tree frog "perched on a stem like a sailor on the rigging gold eyes-sparkling like flecks in the sun" and Sudyka has created a beautiful supporting illustration. Both beg our students to look/read closely and share their beyond-the-text thinking. And with older students, the poems can serve as mentor texts for young writers. How can you turn your research on an animal into a poem?
  
  This books may inspire young naturalists to slow down and explore in the school yard or other spots in their community. Lots of wisdom to glean from the poems. In one poem, the friends who come are too rowdy and never get to see the frog!
  
  PAIR THIS TEXT WITH - If students want to learn more about frogs, create a text set in your classroom library that includes-
  *Fabulous Frogs by Martin Jenkins
  *Frogs by Nic Bishop
  *A Frog's Life by Irene Kelly
  *The Frog Book by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
• 
  Amy

  I thought this was a gorgeous book! I loved the beautiful illustrations and the charming, sweet poetry. A little girl moves to a new home and discovers a tree frog living in her yard. This little animal provides her friendship when she is feeling a little lonely and shy and courage to move forward in her new life. I thought it was a beautiful book and story.
• 
  Kate

  Poetry and facts combine to share info about tree frogs. Illustrations are labeled to identify other animals, insects and plants. Sadly some images and labels disappear into the gutters. The note at the end has more tree frog facts including how to help them.
• 
  Amanda Patenoude

  Dear Treefrog written by Joyce Sidman is a story written in verse about a young girl and her fascination and new learnings about the life of treefrogs, as she bonds with the treefrog her knowledge and experiences with the treefrog grows. I found this story on the National Council of Teachers of English on their list “NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children”. I found the concept of providing nonfiction content in poetic verse as a unique and effective concept. I enjoyed it in this format because it made it an easier and more enjoyable way of learning about treefrogs. Each page had a new mini poem about the environment or color or everyday actions of a tree frog. I first heard this story on audible and then found a read aloud on YouTube, the illustrations were very colorful and appealing to the eye. I think that this is a story that can be used in a Science lesson by bringing English and Science together. This story can be used as an introduction to learn about tree frogs. In English students can write a verse/poem about an animal that they have learned about.
• 
  Carol V

  Dear Treefrog is two stories blended into one book: a story about children playing and looking for treefrogs, and it also is a wonderful science book about these creatures. Parts of the treefrogs surroundings are labeled as are other creatures that live together in the treefrogs environment. A nice page of information on the treefrog is included at the back of the book.
  
  Dear Treefrog finds a little girl moving. She appears to be apprehensive. It is summer, and her day brightens when she discovers the delightful world of treefrogs. The book is a journey through the seasons. The little girl experiences numerous apprehensive times: starting a new school and making friends. It seems the treefrog helps the little girl settle in to her new surroundings.
  
  The colors are cheerful and draw the reader into the story. This would make an easy-to-read wordless book. Any child that has ever found a frog will enjoy learning more by reading this book.
• 
  Nancy

  Set against a background of Diana Sudyka’s lush, brightly colored double-page paintings, Joyce Sidman’s free-form poems filled with observations and introspection on verso pages are matched with factoids about treefrogs on recto pages. In summer, a shy, young girl in a new home makes a quiet discovery. “I See You / suddenly / among the tangled green / a tiny dollop of / frog / where before / there was only leaf / . . . / Are you new here too?” After she introduces a new friend, a young boy, to Treefrog, he also is fascinated by the tiny creature. As the story progresses, Treefrog disappears during the winter, and then in the final poem, spring arrives. “We See You / suddenly / a tiny dollop of / frog / where before / there was only leaf / . . . / Dear Treefrog / did you miss us too?” Back matter features a “More About Treefrogs and How to Welcome Them” page. (PreK-Gr 2)
  
• 
  Meg

  This book of poems titled, "Dear Treefrog" is written by Joyce Sidman. It was one of the recipients of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, I think in 2021 (it wasn't clear). I really enjoy poems because they can stand alone as their own stories, not having to commit to reading the whole book. Each poem, is of course, about a treefrog. The author draws connections to being human throughout the book. For example she wrote, "so still the busy world hops around you, and I slow down too". One of my favorite pages was when she writing to the tad pool, "Do you remember your other life? Swimming through duck weed with a tail like ribbon?" This would be great literature to supplement science in elementary school. Pages could even be broken down into lessons. It's a really fun read with very detailed and fun illustrations!
• 
  Calista

  Lovely artwork set in a garden. This is a poem about treefrogs. What I enjoy about it is the two page spread of artwork for each verse, on the left is the poem and on the bottom right in smaller font is a few facts about what the poem just described, all about treefrogs.
  
  I enjoyed the little girl in this. Then she made a friend and he was also respectful to the treefrogs habitat. That was a nice touch. We see other kids come over and they are loud and not respectful.
  
  I think my Niece would love this story. She goes crazy for frogs. She always looks for them and picks them up. Every year she begs her dad to let her raise tad poles. Seriously, she loves frogs. It's crazy cool. This girl sort of reminds me of her.
• 
  Roben

  A lovely book about moving to a new home and making friends with a tree frog while waiting to make new friends in the neighborhood. The book takes you through the season of the year - and the seasons in a tree frog's life! The poems describing the young girl's feelings and experiences are offset with factual information about tree frogs.
  Of course, September eventually rolls around and it is time to go to a new school - I liked this fall poem from the book.
  No Frogs
  today
  in the yard
  at the park
  or by the pond
  Good thing
  I took pictures
  of you
  with my eyes
  to
  keep
  inside me
  when I am
  trying to
  be brave
• 
  Taylor Perry

  Dear Treefrog, 2021
  NCTE
  The narrative is told through a sequence of notes the girl sends to the treefrog, in which she expresses her admiration for its vivid colors and capacity to adapt depending on the months. The treefrog reacts to the letters by showing its flexibility and fortitude in the midst of shifting weather patterns and predator dangers.
  
  I would use this book as a read aloud in my classroom. Also make for a fun project for writing letters and making a poster board with him for each season. To see how my students thoughts for each season could be, and how it changes.
• 
  Jaslyn

  A book about common gray treefrogs (Hyla versicolor) full of little poems and little facts. Cheered me up very much on this very grey and heavy day.
  
  Sidman's writing is so vivid yet simple. My favourite little parts:
  
  - "I took pictures of you with my eyes to keep inside me when I am trying to be brave"
  - "In gym today during child's post I became a treefrog curled around the still green center of my heart"
  - "Against the window glass we see more of you than ever / Your pale belly and gummy toes / Your half-moon throat that flutters silently / Your breath so close to ours"
• 
  Ellon

  There is so much to love about this book!
  The illustrations are gorgeous! (Well at least of the animals and plants. I didn't love the way the humans were drawn)
  The poetry is beautiful!
  It tells lots of information about treefrog while relating to the poetry. The book also incorporates a girl who is feeling lonely in a new place and her struggle to find a place for herself.
  
  It's really quite remarkable what Sidman manages to accomplish in this picture booK!
• 
  Erin *BookDragon_Library*

  Strengths - Beautiful greens in this one with a variety of shades and textures depicting leaves and grass. Very smartly weaves in facts about treefrogs like a transparent third eyelid in to the poem. Such a sweet concept of how a girl who is lonely moving in to a new home can use a treefrog to connect to the world around her and help her reflect and bring comfort. The illustrations are the strong point of this book.
  Weaknesses - Where is Spring? Did I miss it?