Do Frogs Drink Hot Chocolate?

Keeping warm in winter is tough for those of us living in the colder parts of the world. I keep warm by pulling on an extra sweater, wearing fuzzy slippers, and drinking hot cocoa. So when I saw the cover of this book, I knew I had to review it! Because... hot chocolate and frogs! And because the cover is so inviting!

themes: animals, winter, nature

Do Frogs Drink Hot Chocolate?
By Etta Kaner ; illus. by John Martz
32 pages; ages 4-8
Owlkids, 2018

When it gets cold out, do animals turn up the heat?
No!

Using a question-answer format, this book explores how animals survive chilly - and downright frigid - weather. Thankfully, the hot chocolate question gets answered right away. I'll save you the suspense: Frogs do not drink hot cocoa. They don't even try to keep warm. In fact, some of them turn into frogsicles during winter. Brrrrr!

What I like about this book: I love the diversity of strategies that are presented for keeping warm. Penguins snuggle, butterflies sunbathe, and some animals build snow dens (snow is a great insulator!). Things animals don't do: jump up and down, wear ear muffs, drink hot chocolate. Well, wild animals may not do those things, but I can think of one animal that does all three: humans.

32 pages; ages 3-7. NGK, 2018

Now that you know ways to keep warm in winter, it's time to head outside and explore the weather. This new book from National Geographic Kids introduces young children to all different sorts of weather, from Whoosh! of wind to the drip-drop of rain. There's a spread explaining how droplets can freeze in the clouds and fall to the ground as snow.

Given the variability we've seen in our winter thus far - freezing rain, snow, wind, rain, 26 degrees one day, 50 the next - this might be the perfect book to inspire the pre-K to first-grade crowd to observe weather around them. Back matter includes photos and short explanations of "wild weather" (floods, blizzards, hail) and the instruments that scientists use to study the weather.

Beyond the Books:
What do you do to stay warm in winter? Think about the clothes you wear, things you eat, activities, whether you hibernate...

Polar bears and penguins (and other cold-weather animals) have a layer of fat that helps them stay warm. How does that work? Try this: Fill a bowl partway with cold water and toss in a bunch of ice cubes. Put one of your fingers in the icy water. How long can you keep it there until it gets too cold?
Now, dry off your finger and coat it with a thick layer of shortening. Pop it back in the icy water. How long can you keep your finger in the water? Instructions here.

Keep a winter weather logbook. Some things you can keep track of in your book include: temperature outside, whether it's windy or calm, what the sky looks like, snow or rain or ice... and remember to write the date for each observation. You might also jot down any birds or animals you see outside.

Today we're joining other book bloggers over at STEM Friday, where you can discover other cool STEM books. And we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website . Review copies provided by the publishers.