Snap!

Walker (Hello, Jimmy!) follows an inquisitive little yellow-green frog as it explores its aquatic habitat, an ink and gouache expedition evoked with eye-popping hues, playful shapes, and all-onomatopoeia text. The "drip, drip, drip" of precipitating drops spurs the frog, whose dot eyes and sly smile promise plenty of adventure ahead, to slip into the water below ("DROP!") and frolic with small pink and orange fishes ("splish, splish, splish"). But bigger, hungrier inhabitants keep the frog on the move, and a series of stacked strip images convey its darting reconnaissance around each subsequent encounter. An impish "tap, tap, tap" on a gator's snout results in a menacing "SNAP!" and a narrow escape. Moving high into the birch-patterned treetops, where the sky glows with peach tones, the frog barely makes its "tip, toe, tip, toe" past a vigilant owl, whose taupe feathers evoke sponge-print textures. Finally, the amphibian joins a passel of dancing frog pals who reprise the day's onomatopoeia--perhaps they've had similar adventures, too? It's a boldly visual tribute to curiosity, independence, and being a strong hopper. Ages 3--7. (May)