**A Frog’s Wish**
In a peaceful pond, a little frog named Finley often found himself the target of jokes from his loud siblings. He dreamed of swimming and jumping like a pro while playing with his friend Emma.
One day, Finley discovered a rare flower that granted three wishes. Excited, he wished to be a powerful swimmer and then imagined soaring through the air like Emma.
However, his new abilities didn’t work out as he expected. Then one day, he is put to a test bigger than any little frog should be expected to handle. Will Finley make the right choice and become the hero he truly is?
**A Frog’s Wish**
In a peaceful pond, a little frog named Finley often found himself the target of jokes from his loud siblings. He dreamed of swimming and jumping like a pro while playing with his friend Emma.
One day, Finley discovered a rare flower that granted three wishes. Excited, he wished to be a powerful swimmer and then imagined soaring through the air like Emma.
However, his new abilities didn’t work out as he expected. Then one day, he is put to a test bigger than any little frog should be expected to handle. Will Finley make the right choice and become the hero he truly is?
Finley, a Northern leopard frog, is feeling sad because his small size limits his jumping height and swimming speed, leading to him being teased by other frogs in Croaksville. He wishes he could jump higher and swim faster than all the other frogs, and with a stroke of presumably good luck, his wishes are about to come true.
The wishing flower blooms once every ten years, and Finley was luckily close by when this beautiful, magical flower appeared. The wishing flower had only three petals, each representing a wish for the finder. Once the wish is made, the yellow petal turns purple, signifying that the wish has been granted. Finley knew what his first wish would be: He wanted to be strong, so he could hop higher and swim faster than any other frog. Then, they would have no reason to tease or laugh at him anymore. However, Finley quickly learned to be careful what you wish for because you might regret it. Suspenseful moments plague Finley, causing him to rethink his first wish, and offer readers a chance to weigh in on Finley's impromptu second wish. Did he make the right choice? Would they, the reader, make the same one? Why or why not?
As for Finley's third wish, another highly charged scene influences his decision, teaching readers that it is better to give than to receive, or (in other words) it is sometimes best to put the needs of others in front of your own. Finley became the hero of Croaksville, and, most importantly, he learned to accept himself as he is. Those are powerful lessons we should be teaching all our children!
There are a few challenging words for young readers, such as cacophony, so I recommend reading this story with an adult. I also recommend checking out the "All about Northern leopard frogs" pages. It shares interesting facts about the little creatures, such as their unique "calls" and the number of eggs they lay at a time.
Finley the Frog and the Magical Wishing Flower delivers powerful life lessons through suspenseful storytelling and brightly colored illustrations. It promotes positive self-image, empathy, and the importance of making good choices. Amazon's suggested age group is 3-12. I would reduce that to 3-10. However, regarding the story's positive message, love thyself, that is ageless.