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The Mystery of Darwin's Frog

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Hardcover
$16.95 US
8.88"W x 9.31"H x 0.4"D   | 14 oz | 40 per carton
On sale Apr 01, 2013 | 40 Pages | 9781590788646
Age 7-10 years | Grades 2-5
Reading Level: Lexile 980L
A frog full of tadpoles? Impossible! Here, for the first time, is the strange but true story of Darwin's frog.

After Charles Darwin discovered the frog in 1834, other researchers found that one of his specimens was packed full of tadpoles. Was the frog a cannibal, or perhaps a rare species that gave birth to live young instead of laying eggs? No. He was a male, holding the tadpoles safe in his vocal sac while they morphed into froglets. And the surprises didn't stop there. Author and frog scientist Marty Crump mines her firsthand experiences studying Darwin's frog to tell the fascinating story for young readers. Award-winning illustrators Steve Jenkins and Edel Rodriguez lend their art to a mix of beautiful photographs. Young readers will be enthralled by this story of real science, full of strange surprises.
★ "Eye-catching and thought-provoking."—School Library Journal, starred review

"The eye-catching volume is illustrated with color photographs, detailed artistic renderings of the frog by Jenkins, and ink-and-watercolor portraits of the various human personalities involved by Rodriguez, making its creation as collaborative as science itself. An attractively designed and informative introduction to a fascinating amphibian full of strange suprises."—Kirkus Reviews

"Jenkins' cut-paper constructions combine with Rodriguez's portraits of scientists and with arresting color photographs of the frogs in the wild. Crump investigates a riddle of biodiversity with clarity and style."—Publishers Weekly
Marty Crump, PHD, is adjunct professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University. She has written several books for adults. Her writing for children has appeared in Highlights for Children magazine. View titles by Marty Crump
Steve Jenkins (1952-2021) received numerous awards and critical praise for his art work and innovative book design. His books have sold more than one million copies worldwide. View titles by Steve Jenkins
Edel Rodriquez was born in Havana, Cuba, and studied painting at Pratt Institute and Hunter College. His work has appeared in five picture books, on stamps for the US Postal Service, and on posters for films and Broadway shows. He is a regular contributor to the New Yorker magazine and was an art director at Time magazine for more than a decade. View titles by Edel Rodriguez

About

A frog full of tadpoles? Impossible! Here, for the first time, is the strange but true story of Darwin's frog.

After Charles Darwin discovered the frog in 1834, other researchers found that one of his specimens was packed full of tadpoles. Was the frog a cannibal, or perhaps a rare species that gave birth to live young instead of laying eggs? No. He was a male, holding the tadpoles safe in his vocal sac while they morphed into froglets. And the surprises didn't stop there. Author and frog scientist Marty Crump mines her firsthand experiences studying Darwin's frog to tell the fascinating story for young readers. Award-winning illustrators Steve Jenkins and Edel Rodriguez lend their art to a mix of beautiful photographs. Young readers will be enthralled by this story of real science, full of strange surprises.

Praise

★ "Eye-catching and thought-provoking."—School Library Journal, starred review

"The eye-catching volume is illustrated with color photographs, detailed artistic renderings of the frog by Jenkins, and ink-and-watercolor portraits of the various human personalities involved by Rodriguez, making its creation as collaborative as science itself. An attractively designed and informative introduction to a fascinating amphibian full of strange suprises."—Kirkus Reviews

"Jenkins' cut-paper constructions combine with Rodriguez's portraits of scientists and with arresting color photographs of the frogs in the wild. Crump investigates a riddle of biodiversity with clarity and style."—Publishers Weekly

Author

Marty Crump, PHD, is adjunct professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University. She has written several books for adults. Her writing for children has appeared in Highlights for Children magazine. View titles by Marty Crump
Steve Jenkins (1952-2021) received numerous awards and critical praise for his art work and innovative book design. His books have sold more than one million copies worldwide. View titles by Steve Jenkins
Edel Rodriquez was born in Havana, Cuba, and studied painting at Pratt Institute and Hunter College. His work has appeared in five picture books, on stamps for the US Postal Service, and on posters for films and Broadway shows. He is a regular contributor to the New Yorker magazine and was an art director at Time magazine for more than a decade. View titles by Edel Rodriguez