Books: Freeda the Frog & Her New Blue Family

In a culture that is divided, the subjects of diversity and inclusion have become vital to build a more unified tomorrow. Although discussing these topics with children may be difficult, books have always served as bridges of communication to help pave the way to acceptance. Gold Mom’s Choice Award-winner book and series author Nadine Haruni specializes in making awkward conversations, such as racial equality, fun and approachable. Nadine’s book, Freeda the Frog & Her New Blue Family, teaches children and parents alike to welcome people of differing ethnic, religious and gender backgrounds. Being the proud mom of a blended family, Nadine has a personal perspective on the subject.

The book follows green tadpoles Frannie and Frank, who learn two blue frogs, Samson and his son Jack, will be joining the family. They wonder if they will all get along and if Samson will replace their green biological father. However, spending time with their new blue friends teaches the green tadpoles a valuable lesson: a frog is who they are on the inside and shouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin. Nadine is no stranger to subjects like this, or others addressed in previous books such as divorce and losing a loved one.

To that end, the Freeda the Frog series helps educators, school counselors and parents discuss difficult topics in a positive, non-threatening way with children. Each book reinforces Nadine Haruni’s mission of “helping families of all species, one tadpole at a time.” The entire series has even been leveled for schools to align with National Education standards, and all five books in the series have a Readers’ Favorite 5-star review and the Gold Mom’s Choice Award for excellence in the family-friendly picture book category.