Where Is the Frog?: A Children's Book Inspired by Claude Monet

Gr 1-4--Antoinette lives in Claude Monet's pond at Giverny, and every day she angles to be included in his paintings. When he finally notices and paints her, she is so excited that she knocks the canvas into the water and "the masterpiece has remained missing ever since." Beautiful, impressionistic illustrations in the style of Monet are somewhat marred by the inclusion of the cartoonlike frog. The text has been awkwardly translated, carelessly switching between first and third person, and offering odd turns of phrase ("Calm down, gargoyle," "By Jove, what a fool I am!"). The story ends abruptly, declaring that Antoinette was never seen again and that Mister Claude "never really got over" losing his frog painting. While the illustrations may get readers interested in the work of Monet, the silly story misses the mark. Back matter offers images of Monet's paintings that were used as settings in the story and some commentary on his life and work. This material is more interesting than Antoinette's story but is aimed at an older audience. There are other children's books on the work of Monet, the classic being Christina Bjork's Linnea in Monet's Garden (R & S Books, 1987), rendering this one suitable only for large art-history collections for young children.--Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL