Preschooler, Leo, loves all things slimy, fuzzy, or creepy crawly. That doesn’t change on a particular day he shows up at Theodore’s Academy with a frog in his pocket. Froggy can’t stay in Leo’s pocket, so the students are searching for ways to keep Froggy safe- and hoppy- I mean happy! But how do you keep a frog happy?
To Catch a Frog follows Leo, his friends, and Froggy on an adventure at Theodore’s Academy and watches the students transform from wanting to keep Froggy for themselves to understanding the needs and wants of a wild animal and what it needs to be happy. Leo is inspired by one of Chris’s grandchildren, Hendrick, who has a passion, like Leo, for all bugs, critters, and reptiles. The other characters and actions seen in the book are inspired by other children at Theodore’s and fun stories of what happened inside (and outside) the walls at Theodore’s.
Local Author, Chris Ferry, is a busy mother, grandmother, and also Entrepreneur. Along with multiple other small businesses, Chris and her husband, Todd, own Theodore’s Academy, Preschool, and Childcare. Theodore’s is a small quaint daycare and preschool center on the edge of Whispering Creek, tucked away in prairie grass and the rolling hills of Iowa. A primary component of Theodore’s curriculum and the overall theme is nature, and what better way to learn about this than explore the grassy area they call home?
If you drive by Theodore’s, you will notice they have no hard structure playground equipment to encourage the natural playgrounds. Natural playgrounds encourage unscripted play and give the children the opportunity to include nature in their play. Chris wanted her books to follow the nature theme of Theodore’s, as this gives true insight into what these littles do daily. Because of the rural surroundings, many critters and bugs make their way near Theodore’s. To date, they have seen frogs, toads, rabbits, mice, deer, raccoons, and many bugs, including bees and butterflies, who enjoy the garden planted by the children. With video surveillance, they enjoy watching the critters make nighttime appearances too!
The children and teachers are very into nature and animals. Weather permitting, the older age classrooms spend a lot of time outdoors exploring, looking for bugs and frogs, or tending to the garden.
PS: There is a fun outdoor activity at the end of the book!
More about To Catch a Frog:
To Catch a Frog is the first of many books in a series based on the children of Theodore’s Academy. Published in January of this year, all profits return to Theodore’s Academy.
Leap over to AMAZON to grab your copy today or message Chris on their Facebook page. Chris can also be emailed at chris.ferry@ibcins.biz for ordering!
More about Theodore’s Academy:
Theodore’s Academy recently celebrated its third anniversary; it opened its doors in March 2020. For information on child enrollment, contact Center Director Paxi Cutler. 712-560-4056Ribbit
