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Famous Amphibians

Ribbet!

The Fables of Aesop (by Aesop)
The Frog Who Would a Wooing Go
The Wind in the Willows (by Kenneth Grahame)
The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher (by Potter, Beatrix)
Mother West Wind Why Stories (by Burgess, Thornton)
Uncle Remus : His Songs and Sayings (by Harris, Joel Chandler)
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras... (by Twain, Mark, 1835-1910)
The Frog Prince (by Crane, Walter)

Anthropomorphism runs rampant in literature, from Beatrix Potter’s naughty rabbits and squirrels to the fabulous creatures of Greek mythology. Animals in literature tend toward the magnificent, the monstrous, and the darling. However, the focus on bunnies, foxes, and dragons leaves out a significant order of amphibians: frogs and toads.

Most amphibian characters occur in children’s literature and span the range of archetypes from the foolish to the funny. Following is a list of frog and toad stories that adults can read with their children:

The Frog Prince. No list of frogs in children’s literature is complete without mention of this venerable fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. In classic fairy tale fashion, our heroes are a princess and a frog. She drops a golden ball down a well, he retrieves it in exchange for her promise to allow him to live with her.
Bre’r Bull-Frog. In post-Reconstruction Atlanta, Georgia, journalist Joel Chandler Harris created his title fictional character, Uncle Remus, who delivered homespun wisdom through a collection of African-American folktales. In tales reminiscent of Aesop’s Fables, Bre’r Bull-Frog plays a well-dressed, deceitful character.
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” American storyteller and satirist Mark Twain wrote this humorous short story of a frog jumping race based upon a story he heard at Angels Hotel in Angels Camp, California.
Frog and Toad. Arnold Lobel both wrote and illustrated five charming books featuring the exploits of best friends Frog and Toad.
Grandfather Frog. Author Thornton Burgess used characters like Grandfather Frog to answer the many questions children pose to adults in a series of short stories in Mother West Wind Why Stories.

Mr. Jeremy Fisher. Venerable children’s literature author Beatrix Potter cannot be omitted from this list. In addition to Peter Rabbit and other cute and fuzzy characters, she added the The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, about the adventures of a frog living in the Lake District she loved.
Mr. Toad. In The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame’s amphibious village squire demonstrates a reckless interest in automobiles in this madcap tale of a village populated by anthropomorphic characters.
Toad. Colin Dann wrote The Animals of Farthing Wood, a series of children’s stories featuring Toad, who offers to guide a group of displaced woodland animals to a new home.
Tiddalik. A legend of Australian Aboriginal mythology, this amphibious character serves as the focus of a cautionary tale about greed and water conservation.
“The Frog Who Would a Wooing Go.” This nursery rhyme features a determined frog who sets off on an ill-advised adventure.
In Tadpole’s Promise, author Jeanne Willis and illustrator Tony Ross pit love against the laws of nature.
Aesop, that beloved conveyor of moral wisdom, includes a didactic tale with political application in his story “The Frogs Who Desired a King” in his fables.

By Karen M. Smith