Synopsis

This is a 32 page picture book with quirky characters and delightful illustrations will appeal to 2 to 6 year olds. It will encourage them to think about how they can protect the environment and the animals in it! It explores issues of plastic waste, recycling and conservation, and comes with useful questions for parents and teachers to discuss with their children. Other themes explored are friendship, sharing and working together as a team. It's a conservation classic!

Froggit Froggins dreams of finding his Dreamy, Dream Pond. He is bored with his pond as there are no comfortable lily pads to sit on, or moths, etc, to eat as the HUMAN'S have been there. So he sets off in search of his dreamy, dream pond. He thinks he has found it, and wants to keep it for himself. He sees an unusual lily pad and a beautiful flower but doesn't realise that it is really an old onion bag and a sheet of bubble wrap. Betty the Badger wants to play, but Froggit says no. As Forggit plays he doesn't notice that he is getting caught up in the onion bag. Gus, a water vole, hears his cries for help and goes to help him, but he also gets tangled up in the bag. Degsey, a duckling, tries to help but also gets caught up in the onion bag. The more they wriggle and jiggle, the more they get tangled in the onion bag. Florrie, a dragonfly, flies by and sees what's happening, but she thinks she is too small to help. However, when she sees that Froggit, Gus and Degsey are sinking , she brings Betty the badger to help. Betty uses her sharp teeth bite through the strings of the onion bag and frees Froggit, Gus and Degsey. Florrie says that she has a surprise and tells them "now you're free follow me". The final page shows Froggit Froggins lying on a lily pad. Beside the pond there is a sign showing that he is now in the Paradise Conservation Park. Betty, Degsey, Gus and Florrie are gathered around an illustrated map on the sign that shows that he is now in the Dreamy Dream pond of his dreams.

About the Author

Isabel Davis is a practising artist with 25years' experience teaching in primary schools, high school and private tutoring, with a focus on multicultural and multi-lingual educational settings. She gained her Bachelor's degree in Art and Design from the Sir John Cass School of Art - nicknamed the "Aldgate Bauhaus" - in 1990 and her PGCE from the University of Sunderland in 2003, and further study at Chelsea University of the Arts London.

Isabel is a painter, illustrator and storyteller. Her work is quirky and fun. She draws inpiration from her life experiences and surrounding environment. Her work is vibrant and textural, with a mixed media approach. Her teaching experience has given her an in-depth understanding of what is visually appealing to children and her acting and theatre work gives her work a sense of drama.

Isabel is a PPC trustee and elected Eco Champion for her parish. Isabel has always been passionate about education and creation care, appreciating the beauty of nature and concerned about the protection of our precious environment. She says “I feel privileged to be able to combine my passion for art, teaching and the environment by writing and illustrating books for children, particularly early years children. I want to help children grow educationally and emotionally and to enjoy the experience of reading and being read to. I try to address environmental issues and children's everyday experiences in growing up and communicating with each other, adults and the world around them”.

The story of Froggit Froggins shows us the innocence and vulnerability of animals. It addresses issues of conservation, recycling, reusing and reducing waste, and the need to protect our environment and the animals in it. It encourages children to think about how they can help, even though they are small. The story also highlights the importance of friendship, sharing and teamwork. Children are shown that they are never too small to make a difference.

Isabel was invited by the United Nations to exhibit at a prestigious gallery in Kuwait at the Kuwait Formative Arts Society to celebrate International Women's Day and on another occasion to celebrate the UN’s Women’s Right to Artistic Expression. Exhibitions in the UK include St. Martin's in the Field (Trafalgar Square), the Small Mansions Art Gallery and Gallery B to name a few. For two years running Isabel won first prize in two painting competitions in the Middle East for expatriate artists. Lastly, Isabel is a member of a Social Justice group, and has participated in charitable events where she has used her art to raise money for orphanages in Zimbabwe, Learn Aid and Home Start.