Frog and Toad Together is an American fantasy adventure children's picture book, written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel and published by Harper & Row in 1972.[1] It is the second book in the Frog and Toad series. Like each of the other books in the series, it contains five easy-to-read short stories.
Toad writes a list of activities for himself and Frog for the day. However, after a strong wind blows the list away during a hike, the two spend the rest of the day trying to remember what the rest of the activities were. At night, Toad remembers the final one was "Go to sleep" and the two do so, now content.
Toad admires Frog's garden, and wishes to grow one of his own. After expending considerable effort to grow his seeds without success, Toad almost gives up. At the end, he realizes they're finally starting to sprout, and he agrees that gardening is hard work.
Frog and Toad indulge in some home-baked cookies, but decide to use will-power to resist eating too many. Eventually they take it too far, by feeding the remainder of them to the birds. Toad opts to not worry so much about willpower, and goes home to bake a cake.
After reading some adventurous stories, Frog and Toad embark on an adventure of their own by climbing a large mountain. Encountering several dangers along the way, such as a snake, an avalanche, and a hawk, they return home in fear and hide; Frog hides in the closet and Toad hides under the covers, still commending each other for their bravery.
Toad has a dream, in which he performs several feats onstage to an audience consisting solely of Frog. However, after each feat, Frog gradually shrinks until he is microscopic, much to Toad's horror. He silences the announcer and desperately tries to find Frog. He awakens from his dream to find Frog unharmed and normal-sized, much to his relief.
Frog and Toad Together was a Newbery Honor Book, or runner-up for the American Library Association Newbery Medal, which recognizes the year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children".[3]
Frog and Toad Together was adapted into a film with Will Ryan and Hal Smith providing the voices of Frog and Toad. The first story, "A List", is not included.[4]
