A little jungle adventure

RED-EYED TREE FROG By Joy Cowley Photographs by Nic Bishop Scholastic Press 32 pp., $16.95 Ages 4-8

"Red-Eyed Tree Frog," by Joy Cowley, has won this year's Horn Book Award for best picture book.

This animal adventure story takes place in a tropical rain forest of Central America. Here, the little red-eyed fellow wakes as the sun is setting. He's hungry and tries not to become dinner for others as he looks for his own food. After an exciting night - and a very close call - the tiny tree frog is ready to return to sleep.

Photographer Nic Bishop captures the frog and his tropical companions in amazing situations: eyeing each other, stalking each other, even trying to eat each other.

Stunning photos, sparse text, and brightly colored pages make this a clear and engaging story for young readers. An added bonus: The book is filled with frogs, snakes, and bugs - perfect for curious youngsters.

*Karen Carden reviews children's books for the Monitor.

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