Frederick Fly-Catcher

By Helen C. Johannes

A fun adventure that was a hit with my nine-year-old!

What happens when Frederick, a champion fly-catcher, is confronted with a human? After all, humans are dangerous! And worse, this human is carrying a thing of troublesome, powerful magic. What if Frederick can't get it to stop?

This fast-paced chapter book will entice young readers to keep turning pages to find out what happens next. Connecting with Frederick's frog's-eye-view reminds children to treat all creatures with respect and to be open to friendships with new or different people. Parents can use the story events as jumping-off points to talk with children about problem-solving and teamwork strategies as well as simply being kind.

The magic in this universe was delightfully unpredictable…. The best thing I could do was to relax and enjoy the ride, so that's exactly what I did.

 

A middle grade chapter book, 16 chapters, approximately 18,000 words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Helen C. Johannes
• Release date: Apr 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393583912

Book preview

Frederick Fly-Catcher

By

Helen C. Johannes

Cover design by Ariel Kempf

Text copyright © 2020 by Helen C. Johannes

All Rights Reserved. Published by Helen C. Johannes.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic of mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. All resemblances to real people are purely accidental or used fictitiously, and are a result of the author’s imagination.

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First Edition

Dedication

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This book is dedicated to

Paul and Andrea,

the children for whom it was written,

their children,

and all the small folk with fanciful imaginations

who yearn to be big enough

to do great deeds

and who don’t yet know

there is power in being small

when you work

together.

Table of Contents

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

License Notes

About the Author

Also by the Author

Chapter One

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A dragonfly touched down on a lily blossom. Beneath the lily pad, one of thousands filling the pond, the insect’s motion barely stirred the algae. The dragonfly crossed two dainty back legs and rubbed them together.

Frederick the frog judged the distance. Just right.

His tongue shot out. Thwock! And back in.

He swallowed. Mmm. Tasty.

Wow! said Piper.

What a shot! said Peeper.

Frederick closed one lazy eye. He basked in the younger frogs’ praise. Well, thanks, guys, but it wasn’t really all that good.

Are you kidding? said Piper, bouncing.

That dragonfly never knew what hit ‘im! said Peeper, hopping. Their lily pad rolled in the green-coated water.

Teach me how you do it, said Piper.

Yeah, teach us how you sneak up on ‘em like that. Willya, Frederick? Willya? Huh? Huh?

Frederick blinked the other eye. Well, I ...

A gnat dive-rolled off a nearby reed.

Snack size. His tongue shot out. Thwock! And back in. He swallowed.

Wow! breathed Piper.

Yeah! murmured Peeper.

Frederick blushed. He cleared his throat. Well, I haven’t been a frog that much longer than you guys, you know.

Yeah, but you’re so good at it, Piper said.

How’d you get so good? Peeper said. Tell us how. Willya? Huh? Huh? Please!

Frederick sighed. There’s not much to it. All I do is stay still, keep my eyes open, and wait for a clear—

"Pi-PER! Pee-PER!"

Uh-oh! said Piper. Queen Mama!

I’m outta here! said Peeper. See ya, Frederick. He sprang off the lily pad.

Piper followed with a splash.

The green carpet trembled at the disturbance, then oozed back together.

Frederick leaned toward the water, ready to shoot after them. If the queen mother of the pond didn’t find who she was looking for, whoever she found was likely to hear about it. But he was a frog-hop too late.

Queen Mama landed with a plop that shook the whole lily plantation. She glared at Frederick from bulging eyes. Where have those two rascals gone? Barely lost their tails and they think they can hop all over this pond. Well, they’ve got another think coming, they do. She sucked air into the pocket below her chin. It swelled. WELL? burst from her lungs. ANSWER ME!

I ... I ...

Speak up, young frog! Speak up!

I ... they were just here.

And?

Uh ... they left.

One bulbous eye narrowed. Where did they go?

Frederick squirmed. They ... uh ... they didn’t say.

Queen Mama’s throat swelled more. Her eyes turned yellow. She hunched huge shoulders. Frederick! You know you’re not too old to turn over my—

With a sudden beat of wings, four ducks took to the air.

Look out! Piper poked his head up between lily pads.

Hop for cover! Peeper popped up beside him.

Without a backward look, Queen Mama dove off the lily pad.

Frederick didn’t look either. The thundering sound of an oncoming horse told him the danger was real. He pulled his knees to his chin and sprang into the murky pond. 

The water churned. Air bubbles roared past Frederick, tossing him this way and that. He tried to swim, but the horse’s legs crashed through the water all around him.

Heart hammering, he dove for the mucky bottom.

Kersplash! Something big plunged past him.

Frederick tucked his long legs, rolled, and kicked away. The huge wave still caught him. One cattail stem smacked him in the face, another in the knee. He pulled himself across the third and braced his legs against it while it swayed.

When the swaying stopped, he opened his eyes. He was at the roiling surface, head out and body in. Frederick gulped in air. His nose smarted, but that didn’t matter at the moment. What mattered was whatever had thundered through the pond seemed to be gone. Already the algae was closing ranks, filling the holes punched into it.

Frederick heaved a sigh and crawled onto a floating twig. He looked around for his friends—and froze.

From the reeds opposite, a pair of eyes stared out.

BLUE eyes.

BIG blue eyes.

Frederick pretended he was part of the twig. Meanwhile, to prepare for the leap he might have to make, he bunched his leg muscles.

The eyes blinked. They