There's Nothing to Do! (I Don't Want to Be a Frog #3)

by Dev Petty (Author) Mike Boldt (Illustrator)

A Bank Street College of Education 2018

Best Children's Book of the Year

In another hilarious book from the I Don't Want to be a Frog series, young Frog learns an unexpected lesson about how NOT to be bored. Perfect for fans of Mo Willems's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Jon Klassen's I Want My Hat Back! Frog is bored. He can't find ANYTHING to do--even when his animal friends make good suggestions, like sleeping all day, licking between his toes, or hopping around and then staring off into space. Will he find a fun and exciting way to spend his day? Featuring the beloved characters from I Don't Want to Be a Frog and I Don't Want to Be Big, this new story is sure to bring a smile to every kid who's ever said "There's nothing to do!" And look for the other books starring Frog: I Don't Want to Be a Frog, I Don't Want to Be Big and I Don't Want to Go to Sleep.

★ "Snappy, spot-on dialogue pairs ideally with the outsize drama of Boldt's artwork; reading this book belongs on families' to-do lists."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"In a structured, overstimulated world, downtime needs to be appreciated, and this small amphibian shows the way."--Kirkus

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Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

The malcontented frog from I Don't Want to Be a Frog and I Don't Want to Be Big is at a loss about what to do with his day. "You can't think of anything?" his father asks, working on a crossword puzzle. "I can think of lots of things... buuuuut I don't want to do any of them," replies the frog, wearing an expression that suggests he can't believe his father would even ask such a question. Friends' suggestions do nothing for the frog ("You should lick between your toes for a while," proposes Cat), who eventually realizes that doing nothing--or at least being present in the moment--can be something in itself. Snappy, spot-on dialogue pairs ideally with the outsize drama of Boldt's artwork; reading this book belongs on families' to-do lists. Ages 3-7. Agent: Jennifer Rofe, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-- So what do you do when there is absolutely nothing to do? Nothing. That is the premise behind Petty's latest. The story follows an uneventful day in the life of Frog as he solicits advice from his animal friends, owl and pig, about how he should spend his day. Instead of offering suggestions that are of benefit to Frog, both owl and pig give quirky, self-indulgent advice ranging from sleeping all day to sniffing dirt. Frog soon becomes disenchanted when he realizes that the advice from his friends only prove that they don't have any clues about what he should do, either. Later, Frog has an epiphany and concludes that doing nothing is a great way to spend the day. Although the story attempts to use humor as a vehicle to teach a lesson about boredom, it is only mildly entertaining. Filled with cliches and semi-comedic dialogue, the story lacks any real lessons of value. On the one hand, Frog learns that in doing nothing he can find enlightenment. He then gets the idea that it would be better to do nothing as opposed to going to school. On a positive note, vibrant illustrations do make the book visually appealing, and the use of dialogue boxes make the text easy to read. VERDICT with minor humor and a lackluster story line, this book would add little value to library collections.-- Andrea Jamison, Lincoln Elementary School, Calumet City, IL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

★ "Snappy, spot-on dialogue pairs ideally with the outsize drama of Boldt's artwork; reading this book belongs on families' to-do lists."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

A Bank Street College of Education 2018 Best Children's Book of the Year

"In a structured, overstimulated world, downtime needs to be appreciated, and this small amphibian shows the way."—Kirkus

Praise for I Don't Want to Be a Frog

"Petty's dialogue between a frog father and his son makes its point about accepting one's nature with a big grin."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A lively look at self-acceptance."—Kirkus Reviews

"Silliness and deadpan humor combine into a hopping good story of being happy with who you are."—Booklist

Praise for I Don't Want to Be Big

"Reminiscent of Mo Willems's 'Elephant and Piggie' series."—Publishers Weekly

"An enjoyable read-aloud."—Kirkus Reviews
Dev Petty
DEV PETTY is the author of many books for kids, including I Don't Want to Be a Frog, Elmore the Christmas Moose, Don't Eat Bees, and Claymates. She lives in Berkeley, California, with her husband, daughters, and many pets.

MIKE BOLDT is a New York Times bestselling children's book author and illustrator who lives in Alberta, Canada, with his wife, three children, a dog, and a few cats. His books include I Don't Want to Be a Frog, Elmore the Christmas Moose, Don't Eat Bees, Find Fergus, Bad Dog, and the New York Times bestseller Just One Bite by Camila Alves McConaughey and Adam Mansbach.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780399558030
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Publication date
September 20, 2017
Series
I Don't Want to Be a Frog
BISAC categories
JUV051000 - Juvenile Fiction | Imagination & Play
JUV002120 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Frogs & Toads
JUV013000 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | General
Library of Congress categories
Animals
Frogs
JUVENILE FICTION / Family / General (see also
JUVENILE FICTION / Imagination & Play
Boredom
JUVENILE FICTION / Animals / Frogs & Toads

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