Dev Petty

A frog who yearns to be any animal that is cute and warm discovers that being wet, slimy, and full of bugs has its advantages.

I Don't Want to Be a Frog

Fans of the hit picture book I Don’t Want to Be a Frog will love this silly companion featuring a frog that's still as stubborn as ever and his surprisingly patient father. "Reminiscent of Mo Willems’s 'Elephant and Piggie' series"—Publishers Weekly Frog does NOT want to grow up. Doesn’t need to be tall. Doesn’t want to be able to jump high enough to see the tree frogs. He’s just FINE being small. Besides, if you grow up, you don’t get to do fun things like jump in mud puddles with your best friend, Pig. Do you? This hilarious story­—which uses humor to teach that it’s great being exactly who you are—is sure to bring a smile to every kid who just wants to stay a kid, in addition to those who are the smallest in their class. It’s a sly and smartly funny tale that will have children and parents laughing together. And look for all the book in this hilarious series—I Don't Want to Be a Frog, There's Nothing to Do! and I Don't Want to Go to Sleep. Praise for the series: I Don't Want to Be a Frog: ★ "First-time author Petty's dialogue between a frog father and his son makes its point about accepting one's nature with a big grin. . . . The story might create similar gratitude in the minds of readers—or it might just make them giggle."—Publishers Weekly, starred review I Don't Want to Be Big: "Reminiscent of Mo Willems's 'Elephant and Piggie' series."—Publishers Weekly "An enjoyable read-aloud"—Kirkus There's Nothing to Do! ★ "Snappy, spot-on dialogue pairs ideally with the outsize drama of Boldt's artwork; reading this book belongs on families' to-do lists."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

I Don't Want to Be Big

The comic duo that brought you I Don't Want to Be a Frog is back, with Chip the dog, a hilarious new character who's got some "wisdom" to share. Are you a dog in need of advice? Fear not: Chip the dog is ON IT in this super-silly guide to living your best canine life. Chip is seven; he knows things. Like what to eat (important papers, the fancy bird the humans cooked for the fancy dinner, Grandpa’s teeth), and what not to eat (bees). He won’t get those mixed up, will he? Pet lovers will see their own goofy fur-friends in Chip's earnest yet ridiculous antics, and readers who love funny animal stories will find their next favorite book buddy with Chip the dog, who's patiently waiting to eat your homework and slobber on your clothes.

Life Lessons from Chip the Dog

Don't Eat Bees

Fans of the hit picture book I Don’t Want to Be a Frog will love this silly companion featuring a frog that's still as stubborn as ever and his surprisingly patient father. "Reminiscent of Mo Willems’s 'Elephant and Piggie' series"—Publishers Weekly Frog does NOT want to grow up. Doesn’t need to be tall. Doesn’t want to be able to jump high enough to see the tree frogs. He’s just FINE being small. Besides, if you grow up, you don’t get to do fun things like jump in mud puddles with your best friend, Pig. Do you? This hilarious story­—which uses humor to teach that it’s great being exactly who you are—is sure to bring a smile to every kid who just wants to stay a kid, in addition to those who are the smallest in their class. It’s a sly and smartly funny tale that will have children and parents laughing together. And look for all the books in this hilarious series: I Don't Want to Be a Frog There's Nothing to Do! I Don't Want to Go to Sleep

In this hilarious story of theatrical hijinks, plans go awry when four woodland friends stage a show--unless Bear can step up and save the day! Bear and his woodland friends are putting on a show, and there are lots of plans to be made. Their curtains need sequins! Their hats must be very, very tall! And their tickets have to be shiny! (No one will come if the tickets are dull.) Behind the scenes, shy Bear takes notes on every detail until his paws ache. But at least he won't have to go on stage. He could NEVER do that! . . . Or could he? In this uproarious tale of theatrical mishaps told with hilariously endearing art, four woodland friends bring down the house--and have plenty of fun along the way. Praise for The Bear Must Go On: "A snort-inducing lesson of both bravery and preparation." --Kirkus Reviews "The rewarding finale . . . applauds facing one's fears, being a good friend, and keeping an eye on the big picture." --Publishers Weekly "Witty and wonderful . . . A cheerful story, conveying the joy of creation, the fun of friendship, and the beauty of stepping outside one's comfort zone." --Booklist "Youngsters who find the spotlight too bright might be inspired by Bear's turn on the stage, and show stealers may also reconsider and revalue the contributions of pals who stay behind the scenes." --BCCB "This playful and endearing story offers young readers a heartfelt message about collaboration and overcoming fear, making it an excellent choice for most collections." --SLJ

The Bear Must Go On

A Bank Street College of Education 2018 Best Children's Book of the Year In another hilarious book from the I Don’t Want to be a Frog series, young Frog learns an unexpected lesson about how NOT to be bored. Perfect for fans of Mo Willems’s Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back! Frog is bored. He can’t find ANYTHING to do—even when his animal friends make good suggestions, like sleeping all day, licking between his toes, or hopping around and then staring off into space. Will he find a fun and exciting way to spend his day? Featuring the beloved characters from I Don’t Want to Be a Frog and I Don’t Want to Be Big, this new story is sure to bring a smile to every kid who’s ever said “There’s nothing to do!” And look for the other books starring Frog: I Don't Want to Be a Frog, I Don't Want to Be Big and I Don't Want to Go to Sleep. ★ "Snappy, spot-on dialogue pairs ideally with the outsize drama of Boldt’s artwork; reading this book belongs on families’ to-do lists."—Publishers Weekly, starred review "In a structured, overstimulated world, downtime needs to be appreciated, and this small amphibian shows the way."—Kirkus

There's Nothing to Do!

Chip the dog from Don't Eat Bees is back, with more "wisdom" to share, including some hard-won life lessons about cats. From the favorite picture book comic duo of Dev Petty and Mike Boldt. Chip has been described as very smart and also a dog. And because he's a very good boy, he's going to share his tips on how to live your best life, namely: Don't trust cats. Not even the little, fluffy ones with big eyes. Nohow, no meow. Trust the squirrel you always chase, trust grandpa (sure, he cheats at cards but he always has treats), and trust that skunk (he seems nice. What could possibly go wrong?). Do NOT trust cats, especially not Mittens. In this fabulously funny pet story, dog AND cat lovers will enjoy seeing their own fur-friends in Chip's earnest yet ridiculous guide to life. Also available: Don't Eat Bees (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog)

Don't Trust Cats

From the author of I Don’t Want to Be a Frog comes a hilarious new picture book that asks readers to solve one very important mystery It’s Mr. Tortoise’s birthday, and he can’t wait to eat cake with his friends. But there’s a hitch! Mr. Tortoise can’t remember how old he is, so his friends don’t know how many candles to put on the cake. And they won’t stop (or slice) until they figure out the mystery. Could Mr. Tortoise be as many years old as there are sections on his shell? He’s twice as big as the smaller tortoise . . . so is he twice as old? After the partygoers work through a variety of possibilities, they find their way to the answer with a simple bit of addition. With text from I Don’t Want to Be a Frog author Dev Petty and hilarious graphic novel–style illustrations from Ruth Chan, How Old Is Mr. Tortoise? will have readers guessing the answer from beginning to end.

How Old Is Mr. Tortoise?

The comic duo that brought you I Don't Want to Be a Frog is back, with Chip the dog, a hilarious new character who's got some "wisdom" to share. Are you a dog in need of advice? Fear not: Chip the dog is ON IT in this super-silly guide to living your best canine life. Chip is seven; he knows things. Like what to eat (important papers, the fancy bird the humans cooked for the fancy dinner, Grandpa’s teeth), and what not to eat (bees). He won’t get those mixed up, will he? Pet lovers will see their own goofy fur-friends in Chip's earnest yet ridiculous antics, and readers who love funny animal stories will find their next favorite book buddy with Chip the dog, who's patiently waiting to eat your homework and slobber on your clothes. ★ Nominee: Oklahoma Redbud Read Aloud Book Award, 2023

Metamorphosis brings astonishing and exciting changes to a pair of caterpillar friends, who take pride in being the same--and different. Two caterpillar friends love what they have in common--lots of legs and a talent for chewing leaves into funny shapes. And when it's time to build cocoons, they hang theirs side by side. "Happy metamorphosis," says an older, more knowledgeable butterfly. And it is a happy metamorphosis indeed--for when the two emerge from their cocoons, they can fly! But so much else has changed--as one is now a moth, who flies by night, and the other is a butterfly, who flies by day. How will things work now? Fortunately some things never change--like true friends figuring out a way to be together, and happily flying into the sunset and sunrise.

Moth & Butterfly: Ta Da!

The hit book about a willful young frog with a serious identity crisis and his heard-it-all-before father is now available in paperback! Perfect for fans of Mo Willems's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Jon Klassen's I Want My Hat Back! Frog wants to be anything but a slimy, wet frog. A cat, perhaps. Or a rabbit. An owl? But when a hungry wolf arrives--a wolf who HATES eating frogs--our hero decides that being himself isn't so bad after all. In this very silly story with a sly message, told in hilarious dialogue between a feisty young frog and his heard-it-all-before father, young readers will identify with little Frog's desire to be something different, while laughing along at his stubborn yet endearing schemes to prove himself right. And look for the hilarious sequels--I Don't Want to Be Big, There's Nothing to Do!, and I Don't Want to Go to Sleep. ★ "First-time author Petty's dialogue between a frog father and his son makes its point about accepting one's nature with a big grin. . . . The story might create similar gratitude in the minds of readers--or it might just make them giggle."--Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW "A lively look at self-acceptance."--Kirkus "This amusing story ends with a laugh and a much more content frog."--School Library Journal "Silliness and deadpan humor combine into a hopping good story of being happy with who you are."--Booklist "A paean to self-acceptance wrapped in snappy dialogue and illustrated with richly colored comic paintings."--Wall Street Journal "Petty and Boldt provide just enough predictability to hook youngest readers, then deliver a delightful twist or two to create surprise and satisfaction--for both the green hero and the many fans he'll make with this book."--Shelf Awareness "This lighthearted exploration of identity will delight as a readaloud."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Meet the claymates: two balls of clay that can become anything--even best friends! What can you do with two blobs of clay? Create something amazing! But don't leave them alone for too long. Things might get a little crazy. In this photographic friendship adventure, the claymates squish, smash, and sculpt themselves into the funniest shapes imaginable. But can they fix a giant mess before they're caught in the act?

Claymates

Non voglio essere una rana. Ediz. a colori

"Two balls of clay have a great time shaping themselves into various animals and objects until their sculptor comes back and discovers the mess they've made of her work"--

Fans of the hit I Don't Want to Be a Frog will hop with joy for this fourth book in the series—a hilarious and clever twist on the classic childhood issue of not wanting to go to bed. Frog is excited about autumn and the coming of winter. But when Owl informs him that frogs hibernate till spring, Frog is upset at missing out on all the snowy fun. In this hysterically funny twist on the classic "I don't want to go to bed" dilemma, Frog comes up with all kinds of reasons why he's not going to sleep through winter, until he devises a clever way to convince his friends to come along for the ride. Featuring the beloved young frog character from the hit I Don't Want to Be a Frog and his cast of zany animal friends, this new story is sure to bring a smile to every kid who's ever protested at bedtime. And parents will appreciate a bold new twist on a timeless childhood topic. It's another surefire crowd pleaser and perfect read-aloud. And look for the other books starring Frog: I Don't Want to Be a Frog, I Don't Want to Be Big, and There's Nothing to Do!. Praise for the series: I Don't Want to Go to Sleep: "Silliness abounds . . . a fun read-aloud."—Kirkus "Boldt’s big, bold animal characters fill the pages, as dialogue balloons contribute to the liveliness of Petty’s storytelling."—Publishers Weekly I Don't Want to Be a Frog: ★ "First-time author Petty's dialogue between a frog father and his son makes its point about accepting one's nature with a big grin. . . . The story might create similar gratitude in the minds of readers—or it might just make them giggle."—Publishers Weekly, starred review I Don't Want to Be Big: "Reminiscent of Mo Willems's 'Elephant and Piggie' series."—Publishers Weekly There's Nothing to Do! ★ "Snappy, spot-on dialogue pairs ideally with the outsize drama of Boldt's artwork; reading this book belongs on families' to-do lists."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Dev Petty

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