Frog Went A-Courtin'

Rating:
Summary: The Frog Went A-Courtin to Find a Mouse.
Review: Frog Went A-Courtin', is a story of a fantacy genre which was written in Scotland over 400 years ago, where it was told and sung to the children. As people began to move from Scotland to America they brought the "Frog and Mouse" song with them. John Langstaff explained this in the front of the book. Today, it is mainly read aloud, but the great illustrations, done by Feodor Rojankovsky, give great detail with a broad range of color use. The book was awarded a Caldecott Medal for "The most distinguished American picture book for children." The book tells a story of a frog who went out to seek a bride and meets a mouse. The mouse will not marry until her uncle "Rat" gives consent. Then with the uncle's consent various animal's contribute to the Frog and the Rats wedding. The wedding seems to be going great until the cat comes in to destroy it. With the guest running off, the book ends with the Frog and the Mouse resting on the deck of a ship going to France.


Rating:
Summary: Family tradition
Review: My mother bought this book in 1956 for the first of her 8 children. At that time, it was a very expensive book. She has rocked and sang this book over the last 44 years to her children and grand-children. I have a copy and sing it to my son. He is instantly calmed by the rythmic beat. When I see the illustrations, I can still remember studying them as a little girl.

Rating:
Summary: The centuries-old ballad of a frog who courts a mouse.
Review: The card catalog description listed above is somewhat deceiving. Although I'm sure the story and the ballad have entered American folklore, this short children's book is simply a retelling of the 400-year-old Scottish folk ballad about a frog who courts and weds a mouse. It was illustrated by Feodor Rajankovsky and it won the 1956 Caldecott Medal for best illustration in a book for children.

Rating:
Summary: Swamp based enjoyment
Review: The time was when the song Frog Went A-Courtin' (or as I remember it Froggie Went A-Courtin') was known to every man woman and child in the continental United States. Today, this is not the case. The story of the frog dandy and his lovely rodent bride is no longer sung half so much as it once was. What is to blame for this strange turn of fortune? Interspecies dating fears? A loathsome repugnance to frog songs? I have no idea. Just the same, it's a delight to think that books like the 1956 Caldecott winning "Frog Went A-Courtin'" can carry on the song's tradition, regardless of how often it is sung today.

In a respectful author's note at the beginning, writer John Langstaff explains the origins of the song. Transposed from Scotland to America (there's a wonderful picture of a small yellow frog jumping from one bank entitled "Scotland" to another bank entitled "America" accompanying the explanation) the song has changed and grown over the course of many many years. Langstaff is quick to give credit where credit is due. Says he, "Sometimes the grownups might forget some of the words, and the children would make up words they liked better, and put them in the song". As a result, Langstaff credits the song to the hundreds of adults and children that passed it on to one another. His version is a combination of these, and perhaps the best possible. The narration is smooth and the lyrics scan perfectly. All in all, an enjoyable tale.

The illustrations are really what make this tale top notch. Artist Feodor Rojankovsky paired with Langstaff on a number of different picture books over the years. In this story, every scene is well thought out and delicate. The details are brought fully to life through Rojankovsky's adept inks and colored pencils. The froggy wears shiny black boots with spurs, flipper shaped for his comfort. Bugs and beetles wear the latest 1955 fashions and gleam blue-black against their surroundings. Totally aside from the beauty of the illustrations is the fact that every animal in this book is perfectly presented. You have little doubt that Rojankovsky spent much of his time discovering exactly how many legs a bumblebee has so that he could draw one playing the banjo [just] right. In a lovely parting shot the mouse and the frog are on a steamer headed for a honeymoon in France. Froggie has doffed a beret and the two are reclining on the deck, happy as you please. The book is endlessly charming and entirely too wonderful to ever be forgotten. Do yourself a favor immediately and locate yourself a copy tout de suite.

Rating:
Summary: Swamp based enjoyment
Review: The time was when the song Frog Went A-Courtin' (or as I remember it Froggie Went A-Courtin') was known to every man woman and child in the continental United States. Today, this is not the case. The story of the frog dandy and his lovely rodent bride is no longer sung half so much as it once was. What is to blame for this strange turn of fortune? Interspecies dating fears? A loathsome repugnance to frog songs? I have no idea. Just the same, it's a delight to think that books like the 1956 Caldecott winning "Frog Went A-Courtin'" can carry on the song's tradition, regardless of how often it is sung today.

In a respectful author's note at the beginning, writer John Langstaff explains the origins of the song. Transposed from Scotland to America (there's a wonderful picture of a small yellow frog jumping from one bank entitled "Scotland" to another bank entitled "America" accompanying the explanation) the song has changed and grown over the course of many many years. Langstaff is quick to give credit where credit is due. Says he, "Sometimes the grownups might forget some of the words, and the children would make up words they liked better, and put them in the song". As a result, Langstaff credits the song to the hundreds of adults and children that passed it on to one another. His version is a combination of these, and perhaps the best possible. The narration is smooth and the lyrics scan perfectly. All in all, an enjoyable tale.

The illustrations are really what make this tale top notch. Artist Feodor Rojankovsky paired with Langstaff on a number of different picture books over the years. In this story, every scene is well thought out and delicate. The details are brought fully to life through Rojankovsky's adept inks and colored pencils. The froggy wears shiny black boots with spurs, flipper shaped for his comfort. Bugs and beetles wear the latest 1955 fashions and gleam blue-black against their surroundings. Totally aside from the beauty of the illustrations is the fact that every animal in this book is perfectly presented. You have little doubt that Rojankovsky spent much of his time discovering exactly how many legs a bumblebee has so that he could draw one playing the banjo [just] right. In a lovely parting shot the mouse and the frog are on a steamer headed for a honeymoon in France. Froggie has doffed a beret and the two are reclining on the deck, happy as you please. The book is endlessly charming and entirely too wonderful to ever be forgotten. Do yourself a favor immediately and locate yourself a copy tout de suite.