Frog and Toad series by Arnold Lobel

I have loved Frog and Toad since they hopped around my bookshelves when I was a little girl. Frog and Toad walk together through many seasons, both literal and figurative.  As a child, I didn’t always understand Toad’s pessimism but I fully understood that his friend Frog was always there for him. And who doesn’t want a friend like that?

Not only are the stories—which originated way back in 1970—fun to read with your kids, but these books are good beginning readers when they start sounding out syllables on their own.  My first two sons flew threw them and were onto longer chapter books right out of the gates.  My third son, who learned to read in Spanish first, has taken his time enjoying each word on these pages.  When he reads them, he is accomplished.  He feels capable.  Like his big brothers, he can read.

Each book contains five stories, some funny, some poignant.  Of them, the very first, Frog and Toad are Friends (1970), remains my favorite.  The stories I like best in this book: A Lost Button and The Letter.  The Swim always made me sort of sad and is one of those vignettes that opens up deeper conversations for my children and me.

Two of my other favorite stories, Ice Cream and Christmas Eve, appear in Frog and Toad All Year (1976).

The other two books are Frog and Toad Together (1972) and Days with Frog and Toad (1979).

You can buy them individually, or buy a compilation.  Barnes & Noble published the Adventures of Frog and Toad (2008), which includes Frog and Toad are Friends, Frog and Toad Together, and Days with Frog and Toad.

And I suppose I should mention that some of these books are award winners, as well. Frog and Toad are Friends received a Caldecott Honor award and Frog and Toad Together Newberry Honor award winner. 

Award winners or not, these are wonderful books to grace your children's shelves.