About the Holiday

With the rainy weather of April, swampy areas and wetlands swell with water, and peeps and throaty croaks begin to fill the nighttime air. April is the perfect time to learn more about the more than 4700 species of frogs as well as their importance to the ecosystem. Frogs are vital to the food system, and they eat insects that are harmful to crops and carry disease. Because they don’t drink water but absorb it through their skin, frogs are particularly susceptible to pollution. In addition, habitat destruction, climate change, and an increase in invasive species threaten the frog population, making the conservation of their environment of utmost importance. To raise awareness of the importance and threats to frogs, Save the Frogs conservation organization has established April 24 as Save the Frogs Day. You can learn more about their work and how you can participate on the Save the Frogs website. To celebrate National Frog Month, hop over to I Love Veterinary for some toad-ally awesome activities and facts about these fascinating amphibians!

Elliot the Heart-Shaped Frog

Written by Matt Forrest Esenwine | Illustrated by Anna Kubaszewska

When Elliot was a little tadpole, he lived in the pond, making friends with the fish and sea creatures who lived there too. But Elliot had lost his tail, grown strong legs, and acquired the ability to breathe air. “Now, he was old enough to hop on land!” Elliot began looking for a new home. He wanted his home to be just right.

He spied a “blue, square-shaped stone, but it was too cold.” The next spot he tried was round and “too hard.” He found a “diamond-shaped patch of grass” and a bumpy log, but those weren’t quite right either. He tried hopping onto lots of things he found in the woods—and even into an old discarded box, but none of these places felt like home.

Image copyright Anna Kubaszewska, 2021, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2021. Courtesy of Rainstorm Publishing.

Under the full moon, Elliot went to sleep and had a sweet dream about finding a home and making a new friend. When he woke up, there on the pond, floated a green “heart-shaped lily pad.” Elliot leaped on. It felt just right. And not far away, a little girl frog was waving at him. Elliot gathered a little bouquet of flowers and went to her pad to visit “his new heart-shaped friend.”

Image copyright Anna Kubaszewska, 2021, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2021. Courtesy of Rainstorm Publishing.

Matt Forrest Esenwine’s enchanting story of a little frog looking for the perfect home and a new friend on land is a sweet introduction to basic shapes and colors for the youngest readers. Its familiar “Goldilocks” structure makes it easy for little ones to join in on the refrains of “too cold”, “too hard”, and the rest. Little ones will be charmed by Elliot and understand his desire to find the place where he belongs and to make new friends after his big move to dry land. Esenwine’s gentle storytelling makes this a perfect book for bedtime, naptime, or any story time.

Bright, cheery, and full of smiles, Anna  Kubaszewska’s illustrations are sure to make little ones’ smile back as they follow Elliot on his search for the perfect home. Elliot, with his heart-shaped body, heart-shaped spots, and infectious enthusiasm, is adorable, as are all of the pond-side creatures Elliot encounters. Inspired by Esenwine’s specific references to various shapes and colors, Kubaszewska invites kids to look for them and others throughout her lush illustrations.

An endearing and vibrant board book, Elliot the Heart-Shaped Frog will quickly become a favorite on any baby’s, toddler’s, or preschooler’s bookshelf at home, school, and for public libraries. In addition to its introduction of the concepts of shapes and colors, the book would make a wonderful story to share with little ones beginning daycare or preschool or learning early nature science.

Ages 2 – 5

Rainstorm Publishing, 2021 | ISBN 978-1628858020 (Board Book)

Discover more about Matt Forrest Esenwine, his books, poetry, and other work on his website.

To learn more about Anna Kubaszewska and see a portfolio of her work, visit her website.

National Frog Month Activity

Hop Along Matching Game

Hop along now and help these frogs! Each of these frogs has a twin, but they’ve gotten separated. Can you spot the identical pairs in this printable game? 

Hop Along Matching Game

You can find Elliot the Heart-Shaped Frog at these booksellers

Main Street Bookends | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review