The best books are those filled with a love of storytelling and narrated with unflinching character. Frog of Arcadia is one such book, a sweetly surreal fairy tale about a kingdom of amphibians.
I’d class it as low fantasy or children’s fiction, but the anthropomorphised animals blur the lines between the real and fantastical, so you could easily see it as a “normal” adventure.
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Fun Plot and Characters
The story follows Thomas the toad, who escapes his cosy terrarium and home to venture over the highway and into the previously unknown kingdom of Arcadia.
The prince of this realm is trying to rebuild it after ages of hardship. Coincidentally, Thomas and his twist-filled journey, dotted with various colourful characters, become instrumental in this quest.
As far as the protagonist is concerned, his innocent and secretly ambitious personality makes the journey very interesting. Even though his evolution could have been developed more, the whole story is entertaining enough that it doesn’t matter as much.
Rich Themes and Narration
Something that makes the narrative that much more intriguing is its Arthurian core, as well as how the story upturns some of its tropes to fit the amphibian context.
In addition to plenty of laughs, you can look forward to a great example of grand delivery done well. Most writers avoid this level of formality because it can easily make a story tiresome.
In this case, it works really well, not just because it suits the overall medieval atmosphere, but because the author clearly has the skill and passion for fun writing to pull it off.
Conclusion
While short and simple, Frog of Arcadia is a refreshing read with wonderful style and flow, not to mention some lovely illustrations. Its events, familiar features, and surrealism will give your day humour and meaningful life lessons.
Furthermore, if you’re looking for a good story for your kids that includes animals and stimulating adventure, this could be a perfect fit.
