Dear Treefrog
illustrated by Diana Sudyka. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021. ISBN: 9780358064763
I See You
suddenly
among the tangled green
a tiny dollop of
frog
where before
there was only leaf
Are you new here too?
When a shy girl moves to a strange new home, she discovers a treefrog perched in a secret spot. Magical, intimate, and perceptive poems explore her journey toward connection and friendship—not just with the tiny treefrog, but with the world around her.
2022 NCTE Notable Book in Poetry
New York Public Library Best Book of 2021
Blueberry Book Award, Evanston Public Library
CCBC Choices 2022
“This artful picture book seamlessly blends science, poetry, and mindfulness, encouraging little ones to get outside, slow down, and look closely at what’s around them.”
*Booklist (starred review)
Joyce Reads a Poem at the Twin Cities Book Festival
My Treefrog Album
When I discovered gray treefrogs in my yard, I became obsessed with finding and taking pictures of them. I didn’t end up using photos in my book, but the act of seeking them out and capturing them digitally helped me study their habits and understand them. Here is a glimpse of my photographic journey.
This is one of the first treefrog photos I ever took. I was about to grab the hose for watering my garden when I noticed this little guy. I knew it was a frog, but what kind exactly? I needed to find out more!
I had to search hard to find more treefrogs. They are experts at camouflage, and can change color to match their surroundings. This one is changing from green to gray, to match the leaf-covered deck.
I learned that during the day, treefrogs rest and gather warmth from the sun. At night they become nocturnal hunters, pursuing beetles, crickets, and moths.
Another cool fact: treefrog toes are covered with a sticky substance, so they can cling to almost anything! They are excellent climbers. I began to find them on flowers, tree bark, fence posts, and even on the side of my house!
When approached, treefrogs freeze rather than hop away, so I got a good chance to see their beautiful golden eyes. To me, they always looked so calm. But I’m sure their tiny hearts were beating fast, waiting for me to move along.
Once full summer hits, treefrogs blend remarkably well into all that green. It was often very difficult to spot them.
To study treefrog metamorphosis, I visited a pond at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum each week. These young tadpoles—no bigger than my fingernail—wiggled around at terrific speed and scraped algae off the sides of the pool.
The day I spotted the first tiny pair of legs on a growing tadpole, I was so excited that I pointed them out to anyone who would listen. The legs aren’t really functional yet—the tadpole is still using its tail to swim. But they’re a hint of what is to come!
This little pollywog has legs and arms, but still spends most of its time in the pond. Its body is changing for life on land, however. Its gills are being reabsorbed, and it’s growing lungs for use in open air. It has also stopped eating while its digestive track changes to handle a diet of insects rather than algae.
This little froglet is trying out life above the water. You can see it still has a small tail, and will remain in the pond for another week or so before venturing out on land for good.
I loved spotting treefrogs on my kitchen window. Look at that amazing translucent body and those grippy toes! You can’t see it here, but its tiny throat is vibrating with its breath.
Very rarely, I get to hold a treefrog. See how tiny they are? They grow to a mere 1.5" long. I feel lucky they visit my yard, and try very hard to be a gentle watcher and avoid yard chemicals, so they will stay always.