Mrs. Collywobbles, a sweet little old lady, has a pet frog that protects her from the horrible creatures that come out of the dark, scary woods by gobbling them up. When she gives the frog a thank-you kiss, however, she is transformed into a sweet little old lady frog and, none too pleased with this, gobbles him up. The rich, patterned language of the text reads aloud well. The illustrations, done in pen and ink then computer manipulated, contrib ute to the story’s folktale flavor by exhibiting unwavering uniformity in Mrs. Collywobbles’s house, the woods, and her personal appearance . ca

Originally published by Walker Books Great Britain, in 2008.