An Army of Frogs

April 1, 2013
A young frog dreams of battle in this animal-adventure series opener. Darel wants to be a Kulipari like his father, who died in the Hidingwar protecting the dreamcaster turtle king, Sergu, against the scorpion hordes. He diligently trains to be a warrior despite his wood-frog limitations, drawing his chubby sidekick Gee and healer friend Coorah into imaginary adventures (and parental disapproval). But when the protective Veil around the Amphibilands weakens, spiders and scorpions unite, and Gee is kidnapped, Darel seizes the chance to prove himself, save his people and find the remaining Kulipari. Darel is reckless but easy to root for, particularly when he uses both wits and strength to rescue Gee. His opponents, the spider queen Jarrah and scorpion leaders Pigo and Marmoo are stereotypically villainous, with convenient fatal flaws. While the headstrong hero and action may entice readers, the material was more capably handled by the late Brian Jacques in his Redwall saga. An illustrated character chart clarifies the abundance of players and rapidly shifting points of view, and plentiful illustrations depict the action sequences. This little frog should find fans among readers of the Warriors and Redwall sagas. (Fantasy. 10 & up)

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July 1, 2013

Gr 3-6-In this fast-paced tale, Pryce finds just the right balance between brutality and bravery, friendship and betrayal, and loss and discovery. Darel, a common wood frog, has a burning desire to emulate his late father, a mighty Kulipari warrior who died defending their homeland from invading scorpions. A new alliance between the scorpions and spiders threatens the Amphibilands. Darel and his friend Gee find themselves in the heart of the enemy camp: Gee a prisoner and Darel posing as a warrior volunteer. Darel's cunning and bravery make for a page-turner, and readers will be rooting for him as he, Gee, and their friend Coorah help lead the army of frogs to victory and secure the Amphibilands once more. Greene lends his talent with lush color illustrations that capture the tension and tenor of the text. Fans of Suzanne Collins's "Underland Chronicles" series (Scholastic) will be clamoring for this well-written first installation in a series. A must-have, winning adventure that is nearly impossible to put down.-Mary Beth Rassulo, Ridgefield Library, CT

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2013
Grades 3-6 Set in the forests, coves, and deserts of the Australian hinterlands, this first novel by former NFL vet Pryce, writing with Naftali, pits cleverness against brute strength. Facing an invading alliance of scorpions, spiders, and lizards, a young wood frog survivesand saves his fellow frogsthrough quickness, nerve, and major-league bluffing. The exciting story begins as Darel tries to prepare himself for a battle that the adult frogs don't see coming. The son of a slain hero, a poisonous Kulipari warrior frog, Darel recruits his hefty best friend to train alongside him. Though the narrative focuses on frogs, it offers peeks at the evil doings of the scorpions and spiders as they plot to take over the Amphibilands. Pryce builds tension as the frogs figure out how to deploy their varied skills and reach the ancient turtle king who long ago placed a protective spell over their land. The violent but not overly graphic action is well matched by Greene's dynamic and plentiful full-color illustrations. The provided map will help young readers track the spirited heroes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
With Joel Naftali. Young wood frog Darel dreams of being a fierce warrior like his father. When the Amphibilands are threatened by an alliance of scorpions and spiders, he and his friends embark on an adventure to save the frogs' home and wage battle against the evil spider Queen Jarrah. With prose that reads like a television script, replete with cartoonish illustrations, this is clearly the first episode of a series.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)