This Picture Book for children is the primary grades version of The Adventures of Almost Hardly the Frog, which is intended for middle school level. Both versions provide a lively and humorous poetic narrative relating the antics and adventures of a young frog curiously named Almost Hardly. The intended audience for this version is made up of preschoolers through third graders (K, 1, 2, & 3) and their accompanying retinue of parents, teachers, babysitters, aunts, uncles, Mi-Maws, Poppys, and occasional siblings. It is a lively story told in an uncomplicated poetic format that encourages novice readers to explore poetic speech patterns and repetition to anticipate what comes next and to add some new words to their active reading and oral vocabulary. Helpful reading instruction activities, including the role of poetry in story-telling, can be found on the author’s website: www.instructionalsystems.org This book is about a young frog who almost gets in trouble almost all of the time but hardly ever passes up the opportunity to meet news swamp critters including two children who have totally opposite opinions of frogs. Almost Hardly learns about the abundant rewards and occasional dangers of curiosity as well as the value of persistence and perseverance. Our illustrator has captured Almost’s close calls vividly and memorably. Look for more adventures from Almost Hardly the Frog.
