THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROCKS

A frog considers an unfroglike question: Is there more to life than the pond she calls home?

Froggy is perfectly content with her predictable existence until a wise fish relays some life-changing news: “Beyond those rocks lies another universe, with creatures unlike any you’ve ever seen!” Following a few days of contemplation, Froggy sets off and discovers a place where she’s greeted by bugs, birds, and other critters who appear “to be welcoming her and celebrating her leap into the unknown.” But over time, Froggy finds that the unknown is becoming less so. Still, as much as she loves her new environment, she feels “an old, familiar aching in her heart: the call of home.” Can she bring her two worlds together somehow? This invigorating immigration parable—an inventive repurposing of the Persian poet Rumi’s work—is drenched in blues and greens reflecting Froggy’s two competing lures: familiar waters and expansive skies. With their gauzy earthiness and cool tones dappled with counterpoint colors (the blunt red of the wise fish in the pond, the lemony sunshine lighting the sky, and so on), Kazemi’s illustrations are strikingly original; adult readers will struggle to find similar titles. While some youngsters may need help to make sense of the tale’s larger themes, all will appreciate winsome Froggy’s journey.

An immigration allegory for kids old enough to get it; a perky frog-explores-the-world story for those who aren’t.