Starting with summer and moving through the rest of the seasons, author Sidman reveals a shy, young girl at the inception of her introduction to a fresh, yet unfamiliar place. Feeling a bit apprehensive, she discovers something that gives her comfort in the front yard of her new home, a treefrog. Each page is written in free verse and dedicated to her new friend in some way. Detailed facts about treefrogs at the bottom of each page touch on topics varying from the life cycle to defense mechanisms to habitat and more. The illustrations of nature are extremely intricate as well as vividly painted. The illustrator, Sudyka, introduces delicately drawn plants, animals, and insects, many of which are labeled. This NCTE notable poetry book for 2022 would be a wonderful resource for teaching science, the life cycle of frogs, seasons, or poetry appreciation. ( )

Sweet story about making friends and being still. Also cool things about tree frogs. ( )

As ever, Joyce Sidman is a marvel at melding poetry and science, but in Dear Treefrog, she adds a child's fears and hopes in moving to a new place and discovering how befriending nature leads to self-confidence and finding friends both 4-legged and 2-legged. Poems paired with natural history tell the story of a shy girl who blossoms over the course of a year with the help of a gray treefrog in her garden. Includes an afterword: "More About Treefrogs and How to Welcome Them." ( )

A young girl has just moved and takes an affinity to a treefrog in her new backyard. As the seasons change, will she meet new friends as well?

This is a sweet book for every young child who is a little bit introverted, preferring nature and quietude to noisy peers. Each page spread is a short poem about the girl's journey on the left and a small fact about treefrogs on the bottom right.

The illustrations are gentle, fitting with the book's pacing. The girl is a very pale white, while classmates are children of color in some cases. ( )