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Scott McCall was born and raised in Crockett, Texas, a small town that sits in the middle of East Texas. After high school he went to the San Diego Golf Academy of Arizona, where he received an Associate's Degree in Business, which led to him teaching golf. In his late 20s, he and his father started Mobile Glaucoma Solutions, which grew to a national company spreading across 30 states. Scott was the president and part-owner of the company from 2003 to 2013. Scott is now an optometric technician at his father's optometry practice. He likes to travel, hunt, golf and coach his 7-year-old son's sports teams. Just last year, Scott started writing short stories to help his son learn how to read. Together they wrote some stories that rhymed. It was from this experience that the idea of Ted the Friendly Frog evolved.
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Ted the Friendly Frog and the Tale of the Diamond is an animal fable for children written by Scott McCall and illustrated by Autumn Brook. Ted was a young frog who enjoyed each and every day. He loved to play games with his friends, swim in his lake and just laze around and catch flies. One day, his grandfather called him over to show him an important family heirloom. The diamond was large and glittering, and it had been in the family for years. Ted’s grandfather said that he had to take a trip, and he asked Ted to watch over the diamond while he was away. Ted was excited at first, and he kept a close eye on the diamond until his friend, Mark, came by. Mark thought it was special too, and suggested they bring it to the lake so the rest of their friends could see it. Ted wanted to, but he thought about his grandfather’s warning. Still, he figured it couldn’t hurt to just bring it down and let them look -- or could it?
Ted the Friendly Frog and the Tale of the Diamond features a young frog who quickly finds himself in hot water when he doesn’t listen to his grandfather. McCall’s story illustrates how Ted could have saved himself all the worry and guilt brought on when the unexpected actually does happen. This fable illustrates how kids don’t always know everything and need to listen to their parents or caregivers, but it also shows how his friends support him. I loved seeing them work as a team to help Ted. Autumn Brook’s frogs are masterfully rendered in bright shades of green and garbed in a variety of costumes that will make kids smile. Each panel is brightly colored and fits the story line perfectly. And while the moral of the story is about obeying one’s parents, it’s delivered in an entertaining and light-hearted way. Ted the Friendly Frog and the Tale of the Diamond is a grand selection for story time, and it’s also a suitable offering for new readers to try on their own. It’s most highly recommended.
