Illustrated in his unmistakeable style, Leo Lionni’s book is full of wit and insight.
It stars a minnow and a tadpole who are inseparable friends. When the tadpole starts to grow legs however, the minnow is outraged and can’t believe his friend could be a frog, ‘Frogs are frogs and fish is fish and that’s that’, he states. But of course, the frog’s legs keep growing whatever the fish says, and soon are long enough for him to leave the pond and explore the world. The fish wonders where his friend has gone and is delighted when he returns, full of news of the extraordinary things and creatures he’s seen. As the frog describes birds, cows and humans, readers are privy to exactly how the fish imagines them! A longing to see the world for himself almost proves too much for the fish but fortunately all ends well with him happy and where he should be in his luminous underwater world. And it is luminous in Lionni’s illustrations. A sparkling story, simple but full of surprising depth.
A stunningly illustrated tale frommaster picture book creator Leo Lionni, teaching the importance of accepting who you really are.
The pond is home to a tadpole and a minnow, two underwater friends. But when the tadpole grows into a frog and hops onto the land, a new world unfolds before his eyes. He returns to the pond and tells his friend fantastic tales of the things he's seen: birds and cows and mysterious things called people! Fish longs to be a frog so that he can see this wonderful world too, and decides that he will follow in his friend's footsteps, come what may...
Leo Lionni an internationally known designer, illustrator, and graphic artist, was born in Holland and lived in Italy until he moved to the United States in 1939. His picture books are distinguished by their enduring themes, graphic simplicity and brilliant use of collage. He wrote and illustrated more than 40 highly acclaimed children's books. In 1984, he received the American Intitute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was a four-time Caldecott Honor Winner. Leo died in 1999, at the age of 89, at his home in Tuscany, Italy.
