Parents' Guide to

City Dog, Country Frog

Book Mo Willems Picture Book 2010
City Dog, Country Frog Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Tracy Moore By Tracy Moore , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 3+

Touching tale of dog-frog friendship depicts cycle of life.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 3+?

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Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 1 parent review

Rebecca G.
Rebecca G. Adult
October 13, 2017
age 7+

Parents should know that this book might be upsetting to young children

The illustrations are beautiful, and the story is really engaging. However, I shed some tears after I read it and I am 60 years old. It's quite a tribute to the writer and the illustrator that the reader cares so much for the dog and the frog and for their friendship. I would be careful about reading it to very young children. Parents should at least read it first and proceed from there.
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What's the Story?

City Dog meets Country Frog one day, and though neither is the friend the other was looking for, they realize they have a lot to teach each other. As the seasons pass, each animal offers his own tricks and games for outdoor play -- splashing in the spring, sniffing in the summer, and reflecting on the past during the cozy fall. Come winter, things have changed, and Frog is gone. Dog is heartbroken, but soon enough, spring returns, and with it the opportunity for new friendship.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

With its minimalist style and simple, emotional watercolor illustrations, CITY DOG, COUNTRY FROG is deceptively multilayered. A powerful tale of friendship, it doubles as a meditation on the lessons we teach each other, and the influence we have on others, often when we least expect it. But beyond a story of unlikely friendship, there's a heartfelt depiction of the changing seasons and the natural cycle of life: Everything grows old and eventually passes on, bringing a time for reflection and remembrance and a chance of renewal.

Kids will love this simple story of the seasons that packs an emotional punch. Parents looking for ways to address the bigger questions of what our relationships mean, and how to manage grief, will find a simple but striking place to start here.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the the cycle of the seasons. What's your favorite season, and why?

  • Why are books about dogs so fun to read? Do the dogs in books seem like dogs you know in real life?

  • Do you have any friends you no longer see? What do you miss most about them?

Book Details

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