Book Pick of the Week: Freeda the Frog

Kids are growing up in a world driven by technology and media, where sensitive subjects like race and inequality are permeating the airwaves. Gold Mom’s Choice Award-winner and author Nadine Haruni is addressing these hot button issues with acceptance and understanding in Freeda the Frog & Her New Blue Family. Appropriate for ages 3 to 11 (pre-K to Grade 3), the book encourages children (and their parents) to be sensitive to people of all different racial, ethnic, religious and gender backgrounds—and to celebrate the blended family.   

Diversity and blended families are a key there.

Green tadpoles Frannie and Frank are surprised and filled with questions when they first meet blue frog Samson and his blue son Jack. Why are they blue and not green like them? Why is Freeda going to marry Samson? Will their new blue stepfather be replacing their green biological father? Will they get along with their new blue step-tadpole? Their momma, Freeda, encourages them to get to know the blue frogs. Before long, the tadpoles discover that Samson and Jack are just like them: really cool amphibians! While spending time with the blue frogs, the green tadpoles learn a lifetime lesson: a frog is who they are on the inside, not to be judged by the color of their skin.

The Freeda the Frog series serves as a tool to help parents, educators and school counselors open up conversations about difficult topics with children in an upbeat and non-scary way. Toward that goal, each book offers discussion questions at the end. The entire series has been leveled for the schools to align with National Education standards, and all five books in the series have a Readers’ Favorite 5-star review and the Gold Mom’s Choice Award for excellence in the family-friendly picture book category.

“We are happy to award deserving books like Freeda the Frog & Her New Blue Family,” says Dawn Matheson, CEO, Mom’s Choice Awards. “Our panel of judges really felt this book merited a place on our list of the best in family-friendly products that parents and educators can feel confident in using.”

Future topics for Freeda and her tadpoles to explore include adoption, Special Needs kids, a new baby sibling and a parent returning to work. Each book reinforces Nadine Haruni’s mission of “helping families of all species, one tadpole at a time.”

Author Nadine Haruni has gone through a divorce herself and is now the mother of five kids in a blended family. She has appeared on TV, radio, print, online and does virtual storytime events across the country. Haruni has also created a lesson plan inspired by her books for Garden State Equality in New Jersey, her home state. For more information, please visit www.freedathefrog.com.


Freeda the Frog & Her New Blue Family

Publisher: Mascot Books

Hardcover / $14.95

ISBN: 978-1-68401-132-2

Get it on Amazon here.