 
What Others Are Saying
"Cheery: The True Adventures of a Chiricahua Leopard Frog"
introduces new readers to the life cycle of a frog and the efforts
to save the threatened Chiricahua leopard frog.
Written for elementary students and illustrated
in lush colors, this book is a useful tool for parents
and teachers to explain a frog's ecology.
...Cleverly illustrated by Michael Hagelberg,
"Cheery" is worthwhile entertainment for children.
[more]
— Brieanna Brown-Lapp
ARIZONA WILDLIFE VIEWS
Jan 30, 2012
CHIFROGGY!! - Five Stars!
This remarkable little book by Elizabeth Davidson about Cheery, a charming little Chiricahua Leopard Frog, is both a delightful children's story and a handy little lesson in Herpetology complete with a curriculum guide. It is brilliantly illustrated by Michael Hagelberg--an award-winning illustrator who specializes in educational works. Cheery starts as an egg in a lovely little pond, and turns into a tadpole with his many brothers and sisters feasting on the algae that grows on the ponds rocks. As Cheery grows up he learns from Wise Old Frog about the dangers of bullfrogs and crayfish that have been imported to their pond, and learns to avoid them by hiding under rocks. When Cheery changes from a tadpole to a frog he finds he can jump right out of the pond and feast on the insects that live around the pond. But after a lovely winter's sleep, Cheery finds that all his brothers and sisters and friends have died of a sickness they got from the bullfrogs or were eaten by them and the crayfish. Then Cheery, his only friend, and Wise Old Frog are trapped in a net and the adventure that follows is a story based on the efforts of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the US Department of the Interior to implement a recovery plan to save these at risk creatures. Naturally, it has a happy ending! I was delighted by the story and am thrilled to see educational material such as Cheery available for young readers everywhere.
— John R. Vacca
Tech Write Independent Reviewer
Sep 07, 2011
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Cheery is an excellent book to teach youngsters the life cycle of frogs
Cheery: The True Adventures of a Chiricahua Leopard Frog
By: Elizabeth W. Davidson
Illustrated by: Michael Hagelberg
Publisher: Five Star Publications, Inc.
Publication Date: May 2011
ISBN: 978-1589850255
Reviewed by: Holly Connors
Review Date: July 2, 2011
When we first meet Cheery, she is a tiny gooey egg, surrounded by lots and lots of other gooey eggs, all waiting to burst from their enclosures. As the story progresses, the reader watches (and learns) Cheery grow from an egg, to a tadpole and finally a frog. But not just any frog, a Chiricahua Leopard Frog, a frog native to eastern Arizona and northern Mexico.
Sadly, the Chiricahua Leopard Frog is a "Threatened Species" and so, in this story, we learn about the dangers that face this amphibian, dangers that are largely man-made. Cheery has to be very, very careful or she might be eaten by a bullfrog or crayfish, two species that man has introduced into Cheery's pond. There is also a disease that was brought into the pond by the bullfrog, a disease that could kill Cheery.
After a summer of playing with friends, Cheery finds a pile of leaves and crawls underneath for a long winter's nap. When she wakes up the next spring, she is dismayed to discover that most of her fellow Leopard Frogs have fallen victim to those man-made dangers that lurk within the pond. Will Cheery also become a statistic, or does she have a brighter future?
Cheery is a well conceived book that teaches young readers (ages 9-12) about one species that faces extinction if something is not done. The story is upbeat (and there's a happy ending!) and the drawings are bright and playful. The story is told in the first person, by Cheery, which helps to bring the urgency of her plight home to readers. There is also plenty of information within the pages of this book that explain the life-cycle of frogs in a fun and engaging way. Readers will be well-versed in "everything frog" after reading the story. With four pages of resources at the back (numerous website links included), the book is an excellent resource for those wishing to do a school/home school project about an endangered species.
Quill says: Cheery is an excellent book to teach youngsters the life cycle of frogs and more importantly, what they can do to help save the Chiricahua Leopard Frog.
— Holly Connors
Feathered Quill Book Reviews
Jul 03, 2011
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My 5-year old loved the book!
When I finished reading him the story and said, "The End!", he said, "No it isn't. There's more!" He wanted to know ALL of the information in the book.
Delon Washo-Krupps, Ph.D
Senior Lecturer
Anatomy & Physiology/Microbiology
Arizona State University - School of Life Sciences
—
Jun 16, 2011
Butterflies, birds and crickets make interesting summer reading
"Cheery: The True Adventures of a Chiricahua Leopard Frog" by Elizabeth Davidson (2011, Five Star Publications, $15.95) targets first- through fourth-grade readers. It's the story of how an uncommon species can be driven to the brink of extinction. It helps young readers understand the ecological problems facing amphibians all around the world. And though short and simple, Cheery's lessons are important for teachers and parents, too.
— Dr. Scott Shalaway
The Charleston Gazette
Jun 04, 2011
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"After traveling the country speaking to elementary school students, I have renewed optimism for the future of our planet. Children, given the information, are eager to become responsible stewards of our planet. Sometimes, however, the task can seem daunting (especially when it is so encompassing, for example, as doing something about global warming). Cheery: The True Adventures of a Chiricahua Leopard Frog takes the problems faced by Cheery and the other Leopard Frogs and puts them into a perspective kids can comprehend. Opening their eyes in such an entertaining fashion is a huge step toward helping young readers become environmentally aware adults."
— Paul M. Howey
Author of Freckles: The Mystery of the Little White Dog in the Desert
"Cheers for Cheery! This is a fascinating and important nature book for kids… and grown-ups, too. More than a beautiful look at a frog's unique life cycle, it inspires us to care about this disappearing species and strive for a real-life happy ending."
— Brooke Bessesen
Children's author, Look Who Lives in the Desert! (Ocean!), Zachary Z. Packrat and His Amazing Collections
"Amphibians around the world are getting sick and dying, including the Chiricahua Leopard Frogs in Arizona. Elizabeth Davidson is one of many research scientists working to solve the problem. In Cheery: True Adventures of a Chiricahua Leopard Frog, she tells young readers about that important work through the eyes of one little frog. Michael Hagelberg's colorful, exquisitely rendered illustrations bring her words to life. This book is a "must have" for anyone who loves animals and cares about the health of our small blue planet."
— Conrad J. Storad
Author of Rattlesnake Rules and dozens of other science and nature books for young readers
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