Frog and Toad Together (by Arnold Lobel)

In five stories, Frog and Toad learn such things as patience, courage, and willpower. Arnold Lobel makes a short vocabulary list go a long way, teaching his readers positive attributes while keeping their interest with engaging story lines. The brown-and-green-hued watercolor sketches are a strong accompaniment to the stories. The sketches of Toad's activities while he not-so-patiently waits for his seeds to grow capture the mood of the young toad precisely.

"The List" shows the benefits of organization, but tempers that with the need for flexibility, while "The Cookies" shows that you can have too much of a good thing -- even willpower. The stories are simple but interesting, practical yet humorous, and never stray from the central theme: The two friends can figure out almost any problem they face.