Admittedly, when I skimmed through this book, written by Kes Gray and illustrated by Jim Field, at the bookshop I neglected to read the ending. I bought it under the impression that the frog was a no-nonsense kind of amphibian, unwilling to conform in the face of the authoritarian cat spouting rules.

I thought, my what a great lesson to teach my 4-year-old son. In a toddler’s world filled with routines and rules and things you must and must not do, it’s important to let them know that they too have a voice and they too can and should question the rules now and again.

But alas, as the book goes on and the frog asks more and more questions about which animal is supposed to sit where, he inevitably winds up being sat on by a dog! Now, while I do appreciate that this is a nice set-up for the sequel, Oi Dog!, this book on it’s own certainly does not convey a positive message of non-conformity.

Despite my misconception, Oi Frog! is entertaining and humorous. The rhyming sequences and repetition in and of itself is wonderful for younger readers and I would recommend on that basis. Not to mention the illustrations by Jim Field are absolutely superb!

Moreover, my 1 & 4-year old love this book and request it regularly. And I do love hearing them say “Oi, Frog!”. Overall, it’s worth a read and I am looking forward to reading Oi Dog!, with my kids, of course!