Frog Squad: Dessert Disaster (Kate Temple & Jol Temple, illus Shiloh Gordon, HarperCollins)

Prepare yourselves, Bin Chicken and Underdogs fans (among others): the unstoppable force that is Kate and Jol Temple (That Bird Has Arms) has a new series. The first book, Frog Squad: Dessert Disaster, sets up what will no doubt be an ongoing tussle between the brave, crime-fighting squad of frogs and the T.O.A.D.S. (The Organisation of Amphibious Devious Scoundrels). In this tale, the latter hopes to control the global supply of ice cream and has commandeered a tanker laden with the sweet stuff. The problem is that any sudden moves may make the tanker sink, causing oils and fats from the ice cream to spill into the ocean, endangering marine life. Readers are introduced to the members of the top-secret frog squad and their specialities, some of which are based on fact. There’s a transparent frog that whistles and another that produces toxins when threatened, making their predators poo! It’s an entertaining story with plenty of wordplay, illustrations and breakout boxes to keep readers aged 6+ engaged. The environmental ramifications of oil spills and other liquids aren’t preached about, but are carefully woven into the text. Dessert Disaster will appeal to amphibian fans and those who like a bit of fact with their fiction.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Katie Haydon is a library officer in Geelong and a former assistant editor of Books+Publishing. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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