Robin Page - The Frog Book

For Jamie
Text copyright 2019 by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Illustrations 2019 by Steve Jenkins
All rights reserved. For information about permission to reproduce
selections from this book, write to or to
Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 3 Park
Avenue, 19th floor, New York, New York 10016.
hmhco.com
The illustrations are torn- and cut-paper collage.
ISBN: 978-0-544-38760-7
eISBN: 978-1-328-63648-5

Frogs are creatures of two worldsthey spend part of
their lives in the water and part on land.
These remarkable creatures have lived on earth for
millions of years. In fact, a frog could have been stepped
on by one of the first dinosaurs.
Today, frogs are found on every continent except
Antarctica. Most live in or near the water, but some
perch high in the treetops or hide on the forest floor.
Others have found homes in caves, on desert sand dunes,
or in peoples houses. To survive in so many different
habitats, frogs have evolved different ways of finding
food, escaping danger, and attracting a mate. There are
thousands of different kinds of frogs and they are found
in an amazing variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.

An army of frogs
A group of frogs is called an army of frogs.
So far, scientists have named more than
6,000 species of frog. And new kinds of
frogs are being discovered all the time.

meowing
night frog

Wallaces
flying frog

tomato frog

lemur leaf frog

ornate horned frog

Imbabura tree frog

long-nosed
horned frog

Amazonian poison
dart frog

crucifix frog

waxy monkey frog

The frogs on this page are pictured at
one-half life size. The ornate horned
frog and the meowing night frog are
shown above compared to an adults
hand.

What is a frog?
Frogs are amphibians, animals that
can live both in the water and on land.
Unlike mammals, which warm their
bodies from within, frogs bodies are the
same temperature as their surroundings.
There are thousands of different kinds
of frogs, but many of them share a few
common traits.

Most frogs lay their eggs
sometimes thousands of
themin water. The eggs
stick together to form
jellylike clusters.

A herpetologist
(hur-pi-tol-uh-gist) is
a scientist who studies
amphibians and reptiles.

Frogs that live in water
have webbed toes to help
them swim. Tree frogs use
the sticky pads on the tips
of their toes for climbing.

Frogs dont usually drink
water. Instead, they
absorb it through their
skin, which must be kept
moist. Their skin also helps
them absorb oxygen. The
skin of some frogs contains
powerful poisons.

Long, strong back legs help
frogs leap and swim.

Many frogs have long,
slim bodies.

The tympanum is a layer of
skin that transfers sound
and covers the frogs ears to
keep out water and dirt.

When a frog swallows, its
eyeballs sink into its head
and help push food down its
throat.

Many frogs have long,
sticky tongues that can be
flipped out to snag insects
and other small animals.

Most frogs have teeth only on
their upper jaw. Frogs dont
chew their foodtheir teeth
help them hold on to their
prey until they swallow it.

Some frogs use their hands
to push their prey into their
mouth.

Frog bodies are often darker
on top and lighter on the
bottom. When seen from
above, the frogs dark back
blends in with dark water
or vegetation. When its in
the water and viewed from
below, the frogs light belly
makes it difficult to spot
against a bright sky.

Big bulging eyes on the
top of its head allow a
frog to see in almost every
direction.

Frog or toad?
Frogs and toads are members of the same
group of animals. To scientists, toads are
simply one kind of frog. But there are some
differences between toads and other frogs.
Here are some of the features of a typical
toad.

A group of toads is called a
knot of toads.

Telling frogs and toads
apart can be tricky. A few
toads have smooth, slimy
skin, and some frogs have
dry, bumpy skin.

Toads have short
stout bodies.

The toads tongue is shorter
than a frogs, but it is
still sticky and good for
snagging insects. Most
toads and frogs wont eat
prey that isnt moving.

Toads dont have
teeth.

The toads eyes are lower
and more forward-facing
than the frogs.

Toads have poison glands,
or sacs, behind their eyes.
These sacs ooze toxins into
the mouth of any predator
that bites down on the
toad.

Most toads have dry, bumpy
skin, so they dont have to
live as close to water. Their
skin also contains deadly
toxins.

The toads legs are shorter
than a frogs. They are used
to walk or hop, not to take
long leaps.

The toads toes arent
webbed. The toes on its
back feet are often used for
digging.

Toads lay their eggs in long
strands, which stay in place
by wrapping themselves
around plants in the water.

Leading a double life
Most amphibians start life as larvae that live
in the water and breathe with gills. As they
grow, they go through metamorphosis, changing
into four-legged adults that can live on land
and breathe air. There are three main groups of
amphibians.

Frogs and toads are by far the largest
group of amphibians.

Salamanders look a bit like lizards.
Newts are a kind of salamandermost
of them have bumpy skin. They spend