Frog
*Shortlisted for the 2025 Children's Wrainwright Prize for Non-Fiction*
*Longlisted for the UKLA 2026 Book Awards*
If frogs come from eggs,
and eggs come from frogs,
where did the first frog come from?
This is the incredible story of how frogs came to be. To find out, we go all the way back to the very beginning. Before frogs, dinosaurs, planet Earth – before even the stars existed . . . back 13.7 billion years to the moment just before the universe began. And from there, through Isabel Thomas’s beautifully lyrical text and Daniel Egnéus’s breathtaking illustrations, we are transported through time to the evolution of the very first frogs.
The story of frog is an epic; an adventure in space and time. It’s a story still being told, in every garden, every pond and every corner of our extraordinary planet.
Isabel Thomas is a science writer and the author of a galaxy of books for young audiences. They include Moth: An Evolution Story, illustrated by Daniel Egnéus, which won the AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books. She also writes for science magazines including The Week Junior Science + Nature. Isabel studied Human Sciences at the University of Oxford and Education Research at the University of Cambridge. Find out more at isabelthomas.co.uk | Instagram: @isabelthomasbooks
Daniel Egnéus is a prolific artist who has illustrated numerous books, including several Neil Gaiman titles and the much-loved picture book, Be Wild, Little One by Olivia Hope. He is also a well-regarded fashion artist, illustrating for the likes of Chanel, H&M, Nike and many more. He is based in Athens, Greece. X and Instagram: @danielegneus