One night, Jo asks his mum for a story. He’s enjoyed listening to other stories about uncles and aunts and other family members, and wishes for another. Mum is tired though, so Jo offers to make the cocoa and they settle in.

This story is about Aunt Gertrude and a dancing frog called George.

Aunt Gertrude married a sailor who one day didn’t return from the sea. Completely forlorn, Gertrude is lost, almost wishing she could be with her lost beloved husband. Bereft on a river’s edge she sees something amazing. A Dancing Frog.

This story within a story continues on to Gertrude and The Dancing Frog becoming famous around the world.

This is a much loved story originally published in 1984. Some love it as a funny story for their young children, where others find the mention of terrible grief and thoughts of suicide disturbing.

As I’ve just discovered it myself, I read it as a funny little story about a woman who finds a new friend and purpose, in a tiny creature full of fun. All is not lost, and the loyalty between them sweet. The care she takes of her new friend is never-ending. When awful things happen, you never know what good might be just around the corner.

It is told in such a way, (similar to a Roald Dahl style, I thought) where loss and grief are mentioned but not dwelled upon and the illustrations showing the fun the two friends are having.

An individual choice on who is reading or being read to might apply with this Little Gem.

Author – Quentin Blake

Reading Age – 6   Interest Age – 6-8

Dyslexic Title

(Barrington Stoke, 2017, Humour, Funny, Frog, Loss, Grief, Sailor, Dancing. Performing, On Stage, Stage Act, Travel the world, Showbiz, Dyslexic, Dyslexia, Reluctant Reader)