Froggy
In a sparkling blue pond surrounded by lush greenery there is a village of happy frogs. But one small frog is not content to stay there – he’s ready to set out on an adventure. On his journey Froggy meets new friends, has some frightening and exciting adventures, and finally finds the place he belongs.
Walshe’s charming illustrations are a huge draw. Froggy is a small green lump with sturdy arms and legs – although he can jump like a frog, he is usually depicted more anthropomorphically, walking on his back legs. During peaceful moments in the story, green and blue predominates, but in moments of fear and drama the color scheme changes to hot reds and oranges. Froggy’s friends include a crew of regular woodland critters, from a gold fish (Fishtopher) to a pair of fuzzy bees. There are also more fantastical critters that include several cryptids and a wizard. The occasional humans shown include a Black family camping in the woods, a few teens fishing and boating, and a scruffy white man with greedy eyes and an old-fashioned camera looking for evidence of cryptids to benefit himself.
This is a gentle but funny story – the narrator interjects comments from time to time, describing the action and lamenting that they don’t get to participate in the treats on offer – while Froggy’s determination and the goofy scenarios he gets into range from cozy to hilarious. The sequence where the two cryptids teach him how to bite and his miscommunication with the wizard are especially funny. Most of the main characters use male pronouns, although the cryptids do not have a designated gender.
Intermediate readers will enjoy the simple adventures, quirky humor, and fresh, bright colors and even older readers can find something to appreciate in the tongue-in-cheek humor of the narrator and the contrast between Froggy’s wild enthusiasm and his small size. There are other titles similar in theme and reading level to this debut comic – Paige Braddock’s Stinky Cecil, Rosemary Mosco’s Expedition Backyard, and Renee Kurilla’s The Flower Garden. However, Walshe’s title stands out with her charming and funny illustrations, the slightly snarky twist of her humor, and differs from the others in that there isn’t an informational aspect to her story. At times it might seem to be moving towards reality, but it’s really a cozy fantasy, from the anthropomorphic pond animals in clothes and homes to the peaceful cryptids, wizard’s potions, and finally the helpful tips for life in the pond on the last spread, warning readers that fish hold grudges and all snails are terrible gossips. Readers will be rooting for Froggy in his adventures and looking forward to more comics from this debut author.
Froggy: A Pond Full of Pals!
By Paige Walshe
Flying Eye Books, 2025
ISBN: 9781838749361
NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Middle Grade (7-11)
