| Pacific Tree Frogs
by Leslie Owen, illustrated by George Juhasz
Children’s book editor Leslie Owen has chosen the life cycle of the tiny Pacific tree frog as the subject for her first book. The text begins in a storybook-like way, but after the first couple of pages, the words turn into a detailed non-fiction account of tree frogs on the West Coast. Readers learn about the frog’s life from mating in the spring to hibernating the following fall. The text is well written, and several concepts, such as camouflage and hibernation, are clearly explained. There are many references to native species of plants and other pond animals.
Owen wraps up her book with a discussion on the decline of the tree frog population and encourages readers to help protect tree frogs and their wetland habitats. A series of thumbnail paintings of tree frogs from around the world accompanies these final pages. Although they are named, readers would benefit from knowing which ones are found in their area.
This is also illustrator George Juhasz’s first book. He has created a series of muted, double-page-spread watercolour paintings, intermingled with spot illustrations of specific species on white backgrounds. Unfortunately, the jump from colour to bright white pages disrupts the flow of the text and the picture book feeling. In addition, there is a noticeable inconsistency in Juhasz’s frog illustrations; some of the frogs look decidedly less lifelike than others. His other animals are generally well executed. Labels are provided for the series of predator illustrations, but not for the line-up of insect prey found across the bottom of one page.
Pacific Tree Frogs provides a good overview of the creatures‚ life cycle, and habitat and introduces young people to many concepts dealt with in elementary school science.
Quill & Quire, reviewed by Pamela Hickman (from the December 2002 issue)
Having been originally attracted to study Biology as a consequence
of my encounters with tree frogs, I cannot but applaud the production
of concise, very attractive and accurate books on any species of
this fascinating genus; Owen & Juharz's is certainly a case in point.
The illustrations are excellent, combining respect for realism with
artistic composition. The text covers most aspects of the life cycle
of this frog, and uses every opportunity to generalise to other
amphibians, thus adding to the book's educational value. Being presented
in sizable bits, the text makes also a pleasant reading. The information
is by en large correct, and finds a comfortable balance between
drawing a complete picture of the Natural History of the Pacific
tree frog, and overwhelming the (presumably very young) reader with
encyclopaedic information. The authors duly fulfil their responsibility
in drawing attention to the need for habitat conservation, an action
which, alas, is now compulsory when writing about nature. I found
only minor points that may need correction: 1) the tadpoles consume
substantial amounts of plant matter, mostly algae, not just the
micro invertebrates mentioned. 2) I find unnecessary (and incorrect)
the implied distinction between mammals and humans (in the paragraph
on thermoregulation), and 3) fingernails come in very small sizes
indeed, and since the book is aimed at children, I think they may
find inaccurate the statement that the froglets are smaller than
the smallest fingernails. - Dr. Constantino Mac�as Garcia,
PhD, Specialist in Behavioural Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autnoma
de Mexico, (National Autonomous University of Mexico)
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