What do you think?
Rate this book
One Tiny Treefrog: A Countdown to Survival
The red-eyed treefrog of the Costa Rican rain forest stars in this bold and visually arresting countdown book, which is both a captivating read-aloud and a resource.
Deep in the tropical forest of Costa Rica, ten sticky frog eggs cling to a leaf. Only nine eggs hatch. Only eight tadpoles wind up in the water below. What will it take to survive the countdown to adulthood and begin the cycle again? This beautifully designed, color-drenched introduction to frog metamorphosis peeks at this animal's habitats and predators as it illustrates competition and natural selection. Cocreators Mackenzie Joy and Tony Piedra have crafted a dazzling spin on the life of one of nature's darlings, the red-eyed treefrog. Back matter invites budding naturalists to discover even more treefrog facts, revisit the pages to spot other Costa Rican species, and check out a bibliography.
Deep in the tropical forest of Costa Rica, ten sticky frog eggs cling to a leaf. Only nine eggs hatch. Only eight tadpoles wind up in the water below. What will it take to survive the countdown to adulthood and begin the cycle again? This beautifully designed, color-drenched introduction to frog metamorphosis peeks at this animal's habitats and predators as it illustrates competition and natural selection. Cocreators Mackenzie Joy and Tony Piedra have crafted a dazzling spin on the life of one of nature's darlings, the red-eyed treefrog. Back matter invites budding naturalists to discover even more treefrog facts, revisit the pages to spot other Costa Rican species, and check out a bibliography.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2023
63 people want to read
About the author
Tony Piedra
3books12followersI live, work, and play in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, and I spent most of my childhood drawing monsters and looking for bugs in hot and humid Houston, Texas.
My latest book, One Tiny Treefrog, created with my creative partner and wife, Mackenzie Joy, is out now. This book is the first of three non-fiction, nature picture books being published by Candlewick Press. We hope these books will inspire children and their families to learn more about all the other life that calls Earth home.
In my spare time, I also help make animated movies, nurse native plant gardens, and cook frijoles negros con arroz y mucho mas.
My debut picture book, The Greatest Adventure, is published in English and Spanish by Scholastic.
My latest book, One Tiny Treefrog, created with my creative partner and wife, Mackenzie Joy, is out now. This book is the first of three non-fiction, nature picture books being published by Candlewick Press. We hope these books will inspire children and their families to learn more about all the other life that calls Earth home.
In my spare time, I also help make animated movies, nurse native plant gardens, and cook frijoles negros con arroz y mucho mas.
My debut picture book, The Greatest Adventure, is published in English and Spanish by Scholastic.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 27, 2023
Most anyone interested in the natural sciences has read a book about the uniquely compelling red-eyed tree frog. This diminutive creature with its distinct body color pattern and red eyes fascinates almost everyone who has seen one in real life or read about the species and seen them in a book. Even for those familiar with red-eyed tree frogs, this picture book stands above the rest. The text and handsome digital illustrations with handmade textures follow ten tadpoles from the start of their existence to a possible immersion as a treefrog. Readers are able to count down the number of tadpoles from ten to one as they leave their leafy home for a watery one. There, they grow, going through various stages of the life cycle, but with one of them being picked off by predators on just about every page turn. The use of vivid verbs, a vertical page, and large font sizes that increase even more on certain pages makes this one alluring for a young audience who will be fully invested in the fate of those would-be red-eyed treefrogs. By the time that one last "resilient" tadpole manages to leap to safety, readers' hearts will be pounding just as fast as the survivor. Because the illustrations consist of color-drenched double-page spreads readers are immersed in this Costa Rican tropical forest, afforded an armchair view of the happenings. That very last double-page spread with lovely pinks and reds in the sky and the tiny treefrog peeking out from behind a leaf while other eggs can be seen beneath the leaf and hints of civilization are visible on the horizon is especially noteworthy. The back matter contains additional information about treefrogs, a drawing containing all 13 Costa Rican species shown in the book, and thumbnail sketches about the different stages in the treefrog's life as well as an explanation of what's happening on each page. The book's title hints about surviving climate change or simply surviving life's threats. This one is definitely a solid choice for a science classroom library.
March 28, 2023
What first appears to be a simple counting one-to-ten picturebook soon becomes evident that there is much more being told for the detailed reader.
🔷Begins with 10 eggs and ends with one lone treefrog
🔷Demonstrates the various perils awaiting the tadpoles
🔷Presents the richness of plant and critter life in the tropical Costa Rican rain forest
🔷Introduces reader to insect's and critter's real names with tucked away illustrations on two-page spreads
🔷Shows a tiny (since it is in the distance) man made tower atop a mountain
Back pages give lots of detailed information for the growing learner to expand his knowledge. A good addition to home libraries for children as well as school and public libraries. ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.
🔷Begins with 10 eggs and ends with one lone treefrog
🔷Demonstrates the various perils awaiting the tadpoles
🔷Presents the richness of plant and critter life in the tropical Costa Rican rain forest
🔷Introduces reader to insect's and critter's real names with tucked away illustrations on two-page spreads
🔷Shows a tiny (since it is in the distance) man made tower atop a mountain
Back pages give lots of detailed information for the growing learner to expand his knowledge. A good addition to home libraries for children as well as school and public libraries. ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.
April 15, 2024
This understated counting book is more than just ten to zero. Instead, it is a rich exploration of the natural world. We start with ten tiny tadpoles that are growing inside their eggs. We end with zero tiny tadpoles and one tiny treefrog. Along the journey, Piedra and Joy take us through the Costa Rican rainforest where we meet many of the predators that one-by-one pick off the tadpoles. Each step along that journey includes a simple and repetitive sentence describing how many tadpoles remain and the actions they take as they grow through their life cycle and try to survive. Action words and onomatopoeia keep readers on their toes as the gentle pacing of the book leads to a sudden “Snap.� Dynamic layouts include a plunge into the water that requires the book to be turned vertically. And this is just the surface story!
At first, the illustrations may seem simple, but more in-depth interaction can add many layers of learning. Each step along the journey features a labeled animal (usually a predatory but starting with the treefrog itself) including its scientific name. Children will naturally look to count the tadpoles starting with the very first spread which features the ten tiny tadpoles in their eggs. It is the second spread that reveals the devastating reality of the natural world: ten eggs appear, but only nine of the tadpoles are alert and trying to wriggle free � the tenth has closed eyes that imply this little one did not quite make it.
Extensive back matter expands the reading experience. “What does it take to become one tiny treefrog?� provides more information on Red-Eyed Treefrogs and Costa Rica. “Can you spot all the Costa Rican species that appeared in the book?� will have readers flipping back through the pages to find the creatures they missed in the first reading. Most extensive is the section titled “Surviving to Become One Tiny Treefrog� which provides details on each step and information on each predator that the tadpoles face.
5 STARS - STAR RECOMMENDED (PreK-3):
One Tiny Treefrog: A Countdown to Survival covers a difficult topic masterfully. The illustrations and text work together as a symphony to provide a glimpse into the life of creatures that have sparked the interest of many.
At first, the illustrations may seem simple, but more in-depth interaction can add many layers of learning. Each step along the journey features a labeled animal (usually a predatory but starting with the treefrog itself) including its scientific name. Children will naturally look to count the tadpoles starting with the very first spread which features the ten tiny tadpoles in their eggs. It is the second spread that reveals the devastating reality of the natural world: ten eggs appear, but only nine of the tadpoles are alert and trying to wriggle free � the tenth has closed eyes that imply this little one did not quite make it.
Extensive back matter expands the reading experience. “What does it take to become one tiny treefrog?� provides more information on Red-Eyed Treefrogs and Costa Rica. “Can you spot all the Costa Rican species that appeared in the book?� will have readers flipping back through the pages to find the creatures they missed in the first reading. Most extensive is the section titled “Surviving to Become One Tiny Treefrog� which provides details on each step and information on each predator that the tadpoles face.
5 STARS - STAR RECOMMENDED (PreK-3):
One Tiny Treefrog: A Countdown to Survival covers a difficult topic masterfully. The illustrations and text work together as a symphony to provide a glimpse into the life of creatures that have sparked the interest of many.
May 16, 2023
break my heart ...i will explain ... i got this from my library leaning program ...now i wish ... i wish it could be zoomed into ...there are tons of facts at the end of the book ...on the kindle version it cannot be zoomed into??! WHAT?? yeah that is true ...i am not sure why ...i keep saying this on multiple books that i read ...i doesn't just mean kiddie books ...it is adult books as well ...but if you could zoom in and enjoy the text (font) and illustrations ...that would greatly help/improve the kindle experience. so this is a book that stay in the very center of the kindle screen ...so it is super tiny and so sad ...sad experience. is this a publisher issue or Amazon issue, don't know??! these illustrations are so super cute ...but that zoom in feature is a must ...needed. now i am not a parent ...but i can be impressed and do enjoy kiddie reading ...i love that kids have the chance to be read to ...or get their noses in that book ...i think learning is so important. it is a must ... get our kid into enjoying whatever books they so desire ... learn and grow. grow those minds. add that feature and this book would be much improved immediately.
April 19, 2025
One Tiny Treefrog: A Countdown to Survival by Tony Piedra and Mackenzie Joy is a beautiful book about the sheer miracle of survival. It starts with 10 little tadpoles in their eggs. The little tadpoles grow and start to wiggle but the reader will see that not all 10 little tadpoles will survive because lurking on the fringes of the leaf where the tadpoles grow is a social wasp and he is hungry. So, this pattern continues throughout the book. The nine remaining tadpoles survive the egg and break free and move to the water but it is a jungle out there (literally and figuratively for them) and they are in trouble. They aren’t smart, brave, and clever, they won’t survive! The book showcases predators for frogs while highlighting how miraculous it is for even one treefrog to live to adulthood! The book is also filled with stunningly beautiful illustrations, so many stunning greens and yellows and blues and features very informative backmatter for people who want even more information on tree frogs and their life cycle.
March 27, 2023
Tony Piedra's book tells a story of a tiny treefrog (as the title says), but opening the pages, readers know they're going to learn so much along the way from egg to frog. With Mackenzie Joy's beautiful realistic illustrations taking us to Costa Rica's forest, the countdown begins. Readers will soon realize that the countdown means a fight for survival against many predators, like a dragonfly nymph, a carmine skimmer, and as the tadpoles get bigger, the bare-throated tiger heron. Each page is a delight and early on, Joy creates a beautiful, vertical double page showing tiny tadpoles plunging out of their eggs into the water. There is added information at the back about the treefrog's journey to survival. One fun fact: After this perilous journey, treefrogs never again return to the water.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy!
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy!
March 14, 2023
I'm so torn about this book. I absolutely love the addition of the scientific names of the other insects and animals featured in the book. And it is a really cute way to illustrate the life cycle of a tree frog. However, it is kind of morbid as well. I know that it is true, but it doesn't directly address what is happening to each tadpole as the count diminishes by one at every page turn. When should that be addressed?? Wait until the young reader deduces it by themself? I'm undecided about this one.
April 21, 2023
This is a great storytime book, wonderful photo-like artwork , good information on the life cycle of the red-eyed tree frog. Very brief text makes this suitable for even the youngest children, while older children can enjoy the back-matter and the many other animals from Costa Rica who appear in the illustrations. There is even a bibliography with books as well as videos. Very well-done and an excellent choice for libraries as well as amphibean-lovers.
June 23, 2024
I read this book as an adult reader for the AR Diamond Book Award. Aside from being just about a treefrog, we get to explore the wildlife in a Costa Rican rainforest. Throughout the rainforest we get to see other bugs and animals that live there. The cover is very cute, especially with the tiny treefrog and its big red eyes looking out at the reader. I don't think that this book will stay on the shelves long. The illustrations are digital images that are very colorful and detailed.
January 26, 2024
5 stars. Fantastic countdown survival story as 10 eggs countdown to one grown treefrog. Deceptively simple text, lush illustrations. Keen eyed readers will be able to predict what happens on each page - back matter has a diagram of each predator, life cycle diagram, further resources, details of what happened on each page.
January 28, 2024
This book follows ten tiny tadpoles on their journey to becoming fully grown tree frogs. This could be used in a science classroom to teach life cycles. While the text isn’t extremely exciting, the notes at the end of the book offer additional information.
March 3, 2023
Beautiful book and very informative!
Illustrations are done with beautiful details.
Illustrations are done with beautiful details.
March 3, 2023
Fantastic book with gorgeous illustrations. I especially like the decision to include signs of human activity.
June 22, 2023
A really beautifully illustrated and told story of tree frog eggs and their challenging and admirable journey to survive. Makes you appreciate life so much more.
July 28, 2023
Not sure what happened to the other ten tadpoles...pretty sure they were eaten.
August 23, 2023
Interesting way to present about the life cycle of tree frogs and their predators, wish that I formation had been more explicit
November 25, 2023
SO SAD
August 28, 2023
Nice book!
April 21, 2023
One Tiny Treefrog is a simple counting book (counting down from ten to zero) but each page also contains additional learning about the red-eyed treefrog life cycle AND little bits about other life in the tropical rain forest of Costa Rica. It's a beautiful book and great for the littlest learners.
For more notable 2023 nature-based books for children visit my blog:
***Note: I was provided a review copy of this book via Candlewick Press. Opinions are my own.
For more notable 2023 nature-based books for children visit my blog:
***Note: I was provided a review copy of this book via Candlewick Press. Opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.