Review for The Otter, the Spotted Frog & the Great Flood by Gerald Hausman

The Otter, the Spotted Frog & the Great Flood: A Creek Indian Story by Gerald Hausman and illustrated by Ramon Shiloh

Wisdom Tales

October 1^st, 2013
ISBN-10: 1937786129
ISBN-13: 978-1937786120
4-8 years
36 Pages

Children’s Picture Book    Animals  Folktale

When Spotted Frog tells of a great flood that is about to destroy their homes, all of the animals ignore his warnings, except Listener, the Otter, who listens diligently. Ridiculed by the other animals, Listener heeds Spotted Frog’s predictions and begins to build a raft to try and survive the impending disaster, following the directions to the letter. But will the flood happen as predicted? 

This is an origin tale of the Georgia Creek Indians, ancestors of the Florida Seminole and Miccosukee. It parallels the story of Noah’s Ark in which Listener, like Noah, listens to God, or in this case a spotted frog, who says that a flood is coming. Readers will enjoy the dreamy artwork created with colored pencil and ink as it combines a mixture of nature and whimsy. Young children might have a hard time understanding the animal version of the great flood, especially with the idea of reincarnation and the marriage to a mosquito. Older children will appreciate the wisdom that is conveyed to the reader. Origin tales always contain a deep hearted message, this one does not depend on cleverness, but upon our ability to respond to Mother Earth’s messages.