Product Description

It's Louis's birthday and Uncle McAllister has brought him a very special gift&150a tadpole all the way from Scotland! Louis can hardly wait for Alphonse to grow into a frog. But it soon becomes clear that Alphonse is not turning into any ordinary frog. First Alphonse outgrows his jar, then the sink, and then the bathtub! This new edition of The Mysterious Tadpole boasts reimagined story twists and entirely new illustrations. The lovable giant of a tadpole has grown into something even more wonderful!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47547 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 40 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780142401408
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
Steven Kellogg's award-winning picture book The Mysterious Tadpole, first published in 1977, is back with wonderful new illustrations and additional "nuances of character, sequence, and plot" in this fabulous 25th-anniversary edition. The story begins when Uncle McAllister brings a "wee bit of Scotland"--a tadpole to be precise--to Louis for his birthday. Delighted, Louis names him Alphonse and brings him to school for show-and-tell. A diet of cheeseburgers allows the creature to grow by leaps and bounds, and he soon outgrows his jar, the kitchen sink, and the bathtub. Finally, when the high school swim team learns of Alphonse's presence in their pool the hard way, Uncle McAllister gets a call: "'Oh, the wee tadpole?' he said. 'Why, he came from the lake nearby. It's the one folks call Loch Ness.'" Louis's ingenuity (he takes on a paper route to pay for his pet's burgers, and that of his friend the librarian (she thinks they can use the aquatic Alphonse to find pirate treasure and use the money to build him his own swimming pool) are heartwarming and hilarious. Children who are attached to a pet will completely relate to Louis's devotion to his unusual new friend. Kellogg's luminous illustrations of the ever-expanding monster and bewildered townspeople are expressive, often hysterical, and full of tiny details that demand many rereadings. A treat! (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly
Several reissued titles will be welcomed by fans of their celebrated authors and artists. Louis gets the gift that keeps on giving or growing, rather in The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg. The story about a boy and his burgeoning birthday present returns in a 25th-anniversary edition featuring revised text and full-color illustrations. (Aug.)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
PreS-Gr. 2. For the twenty-fifth-anniversary edition of The Mysterious Tadpole, Kellogg offers a somewhat expanded version of the story along with new artwork. As before, Louis receives a birthday present from his uncle in Scotland: Alphonse, an amiable tadpole that outgrows his bowl, the bathtub, and even the apartment. In the new version, Louis enrolls Alphonse (in his dog-size phase) in obedience school as "a hairless spotted water spaniel from Scotland," bolstering the plot a little and adding some Pinkertonesque scenes. In the appended author's note, Kellogg mentions that the "economics of printing" in 1977 demanded preseparation of colors in the art. Whether the result of technological progress or of changes in Kellogg's style over the last quarter century, the new illustrations are bigger, bolder, brighter, and brimming with lively details. Some may miss the muted tones of the original art, but odds are that children will find the new edition irresistible. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

A Big hit with boys!
The Mysterious tadpole is a book at our preschool and it is checked out so often it is diffult to get your hands on it. Boys just love this story of friendship and problem solving. As a mom, I like the values of Louie, who won't give up on his beloved pet / friend Alphonse. I would recommend it to all boys and gils of all ages.

Happy Birthday, Alphonse.....
Louis' Uncle McAllister lives in Scotland and every year sends Louis the best birthday present. And this year was no different, a tadpole, Louis names Alphonse. But it soon becomes apparent that Alphonse is not your normal, everyday tadpole and definitely not turning into a frog. He soon outgrows his jar, then the kitchen sink, and bathtub. Louis sneaks him into the school swimming pool during summer vacation, and that works out just fine until fall when school opens. In a panic Louis consults Miss Seevers, the librarian. Librarians always have all the answers, and Miss Seevers doesn't let him down. With a phone call to Scotland, a little research, and a lot of ingenuity, Louis and Miss Severs find a clever solution and happily-ever-after ending to their problem..... First published twenty-five years ago, Steven Kellogg's creative classic, The Mysterious Tadpole, is as fresh and entertaining today as it was back in 1977. Mr Kellogg has given his new illustrations a bold and bright facelift, and tweaked the text a bit, but the engaging and fun-filled story with its hilarious twist at the end, is still sure to capture the imagination and warm your heart. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, The Mysterious Tadpole is a timeless treasure to share with friends and family now, and future generations in the years to come.

Two Thumbs Up for The Mysterious Tadpole.
We are second graders from Bernardsville, New Jersey and we think The Mysterious Tadpole is a wonderful fantasy. The delightful illustrations made us laugh and helped tell the story with such detail that the words were almost unnecessary. The very last picture made us wonder if Steven Kellogg will write a sequel to this story. We encourage everyone who likes a good friendship story to read this book.