“Once there was a frog named Froggy and a Snake named Snakey and they lived in a forest near a pond.”
When I was a little girl, those words meant my dad was about to tell an awesome bedtime story about my favorite little forest critters. Froggy and Snakey were his inventions, and they quickly became cherished characters for my sister and me. We would play make-believe games about them while we explored outside. We even had a little green-striped scarf-thing that we pretended was Snakey (I still have it, as it happens).
Sadly, I don’t remember a single story line from the many tales my dad told us. No special details. But I do remember that opening line: “Once there was a frog named Froggy and a snake named Snakey and they lived in a forest near a pond.” It was the same every time. Consistent, reliable. And the stories were always fun and full of joy. Traits intrinsic to my dad.
I wrote and illustrated Froggy and Snakey in memory of him. Thanks to my older sister, I know that his stories often featured pincher bugs (or earwigs, as you may know them), so I was sure to include those! My children’s book debut hops in as Froggy and Snakey and the Pincher Bug Buffet. I already have ideas for more adventures for my dear little friends, so stay tuned! They may just make another appearance.
