Frog Went A-Courtin'

Frog went a-courtin', he did ride
Sword and pistol by his side
Mhm, mhm

Frog puts on his boots that shine as black and jet, and with sword, pistol, and a bright red sash he goes courting his true love, Miss Mousie. Once her Uncle Rat consents, the wedding proceeds with a number of insects and animals attending in this fun (and non-fatal!) version of the traditional folk song.

John Langstaff's introduction explains his appreciation for the song, and how he collected the versions into one he liked. He includes sheet music at the back, set to the tune he finds the easiest to sing. But what really gave this book the Caldecott medal is Feodor Rojankovsky's bright, detailed illustrations. Half the pages are done in green and brown, due to the color restrictions of the time. But the color pages feature incredible juxtapositions of color. The jaunty rhyme and the brilliant pictures are as perfect a match as Frog and Miss Mouse. If you want to know more, you must read it yourself.

For those who can't read music, or are having a bit of trouble with the sheet music, here's a handy YouTube clip of John Langstaff himself singing the song. Be warned: it's extremely catchy.

Review by Lauren Shearer
Lauren Shearer writes words for fun and profit. She also makes films, but everyone knows you can't make a profit doing that. Her other hobby is consistently volunteering way too much of her time. You can read more of her reviews here.