The new animated series Frog and Toad, streaming on Apple TV+, is a throwback to preschool shows of the past.
This series is not done in a high-tech way with lots of CGI or magical elements. Rather, it contains simplistic yet impressive animations, with characters that interact with platonic affection toward each other.
What Is Frog and Toad About?
Frog and Toad are best friends, even though they are very different. These differences do not hinder their friendship. On the contrary, they use their differences to enhance their interactions.
And along with the other characters, this is a friendly little group who always enjoy each other and who work together to forge their relationships based on mutual respect, admiration and kindness.
Frog and Toad Is About Friendship and Community
The series is based on the Caldecott and Newbery Honor-winning, four-book series by Arnold Lobel, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books.
These are rather simplistic stories, yet they impart valuable lessons and are entertaining for kids and always stress the bond of friendship that is very strong with the frog and toad, whose names, incidentally, are Frog and Toad.
That makes it easy to remember. Robin’s name is, you guessed it, Robin. Turtle is a turtle. You get the idea.
Everyone in this little community bonds together to help each other. When Toad sadly discloses that he has never received any mail, Frog immediately goes home to write a letter to his best buddy.
And once the word is out, everyone else gets into the act and sends letters to Toad. This is just one episode in which their respect and love of each other comes through. And Toad is happy that he finally has received mail.
Friends Don't Have to Be Exactly Alike
Everyone needs a best friend, and it doesn’t matter if that friend is similar in traits or opposite. After all, Yin and Yang are completely opposite yet fit together perfectly.
According to Verily magazine:
Among lists of great literary friendships, Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad ought to sit at the top.
Classically odd-coupled, Frog is lean and bright green, and a good head taller than stockier, brown Toad. Frog is buoyant, optimistic, and creatively flexible when things go awry. Toad, on the other hand, is melancholic and often angry.
The article lists three lessons for friendship that are part of the stories of Frog and Toad: Friendship is possible even in the most implausible circumstances, Friendship cannot exist where one person is more important than the other, and Patience is tantamount.
Lilo and Stitch, Charlie Brown and Linus, and Sully and Mike Wazowski are just a few examples of different kinds of people (or alien experiments or monsters) who do not need to be the same to be best buddies.
Frog and Toad emphasize this fact to the nth degree. They are cute and do not need any high-tech gadgets to get through life. They live simply and enjoy their lives and their friends.
The Series Can Introduce Kids to the Books and More
What is fun about kids discovering new characters is that they often want to get more from them. That is definitely possible with Frog and Toad as there is plenty of merchandise to go along with the show. Plus, the book series is a fun way to add more enjoyment with the characters and get kids interested in books.
Frog and Toad is now streaming on Apple TV+. There are eight episodes in the season filled with lighthearted and endearing stories that always end on an optimistic note.
Image: AppleTV+
Francine Brokaw is a longtime journalist, covering entertainment, product reviews and travel, and is the host of Beyond the Red Carpet on Village Television and YouTube.
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