No Frogs for Dinner

Nikki Tate-Stratton writes novels for preteens; her latest books are
Jessa Be Nimble, Rebel Be Quick; Raven’s Revenge; and Tarragon Island.

Poor Melvin! Following his mother’s advice to “Be a good guest!”
he feels he must be on his best behavior during a solo visit to his Aunt
Rose in New York City. Enthusiastic but misguided, Aunt Rose drags
Melvin along to all the standard attractions in the big city—the
opera, the botanical gardens, art galleries, museums, and shops. She
feeds him sushi on the first day and oysters for lunch on the second.
Melvin puts up with it all until he learns she plans to feed him
frogs’ legs for dinner. He protests and asks whether they couldn’t
do something fun like take the subway, go to a ball game, or ride up to
the top of a skyscraper. Aunt Rose is quite happy to oblige and
admonishes her too-polite nephew for not having spoken up earlier.

The fewer words one has to work with the more difficult it is to write
a good story with an interesting plot, recognizable and sympathetic
characters, and a strong sense of place. Frieda Wishinsky has
accomplished all this with No Frogs for Dinner, a chapter book for
children in Grades 1 through 3 who are just beginning to read
independently. This entertaining and fun story, well told without a
whiff of condescension, will entice children to turn the pages. Readers
will identify with long-suffering Melvin and recognize his dilemma when
dealing with his Aunt Rose. Playful illustrations by Linda Hendry add a
splash of color and reflect the humor in Wishinsky’s text. Early
readers don’t get much better than this. Highly recommended.