Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra by Cassy Polimeni, illustrated by Hykie Breeze and published by UWA Publishing is a new delightful, heart-warming junior fiction series. Cassy’s perfect word choice, use of the right tempo for the story’s voice and length, as well as audience engagement with a fun layout and creative fonts, together with Hykie’s detailed, expressive illustrations peppered throughout the book ensure this will be a story that will jump off the shelves and into the arms and hearts of early independent readers. This story explores themes about friendship, animal conservation, frogs and moving to a new home.
Eight-year-old Ella is a highly curious, caring, observant, determined eco warrior who finds comfort in nature. Her favourite place to read was high up in the branches of her mulberry tree in her backyard. This was in her old home, the one next door to her best friend Viv. Her family have moved and it doesn’t feel like home …yet. After a particularly rainy start to her new life, Ella has been couped up inside. A break in the rain gifts Ella the opportunity to go outside and explore. Much to her delight she is thrilled to discover a secret pond in her neighbours’ yard and it is brimming with an orchestra of frogs.
The day comes for Ella to start in her new school and her tummy is full of butterflies. It is the discovery of a frog bog at school, that settles her first day nerves and it is here she strikes up a friendship with Mai.
Ella has the best of both worlds as she learns about frogs and has hands on experience with the pond at school and comes home to the serenity of her neighbours’ frog pond where she spends hours with her nature journal, drawing and recording her observations of the different calls the frogs make. Ella takes great delight and feels such peace focusing on the music from the frogs, “… many sounds. Calling and answering and running together”. It feels like the frogs are putting on a special show just for Ella.
The peaceful sounds of the frogs are suddenly and shockingly replaced by that of almost deafening diggers and drills. The pond is under threat and Ella must act.
Ella confides in her new friend Mai and together they seek the help of their teacher who helps them devise a plan. Ella has to problem solve and what presents is an opportunity for her family to work together to save the frogs.
Fascinating facts about frogs, their habitat, life cycle and protecting them are seamlessly woven into the story. At the back of the book is a set of instructions to build a frog pond in the backyard.
Younger readers will cheer Ella on and be inspired to see that one person can make a difference through their actions. This would make a perfect read aloud for early primary school students and be a gateway to many important conversations. Students will also delight in the dynamic fonts used for the frog calls and sounds that almost bounce off the page and I suspect will say these words with great enthusiasm. It is a beautiful situational irony that while working to save the home of the frogs that Ella finds herself at home in her new environment.