Peter Yarrow.
BY ALEXIS TARRAZI – Straus News
“It has great significance today,” said Yarrow in a phone interview with Straus News. “It is of course about prejudice, about racism. But in a very humourous, delightful way.”
Titled “I’m in Love with a Big Blue Frog,” the story — which includes music by Peter, Paul and Mary — follows a young woman who is in love with a big blue frog. Throughout the book, they encounter ridicule from neighboring animals about the value of their homes going down when they move in and the disapproving looks and comments. Throughout it all the woman stays positive and does not care what others think about her relationship to her loved one.
The most difficult part of creating the book was debating whether or not to feature a girl with a frog.
“We thought it was very important to have a human girl,” Yarrow said. “Some questioned whether it would be frowned upon or be criticized by trying to show a relationship, a romantic relationship with an animal and a girl or a young woman.”
After discussions that lasted almost a year, Yarrow said they kept the girl and the frog in the story.
“After we talked through that we really needed to take that on without side stepping that relationship that would be seen as absurd or shocking and we felt it needed to be done,” Yarrow said. “We came to that mutual conclusion. We also had drawings done with different types of animals such as a gerbil, but it just didn’t have the impact.”
Overall, the book focuses on acceptance of others no matter their gender, race or religion.
“Today we have an African American president which is rather extraordinary,” Yarrow says. “Today we also have other big blue frogs, gays and lesbians, we have Muslims — a whole host of people that are not presumably by many, are not to be associated with. Where they don’t want them to move in next door because the value or property will go down.”
Released only a few months ago, Yarrow points out the devastation that is unfolding in society where the book can teach tolerance and understanding.
“This [book] has a more profound and complete purpose,” says Yarrow. “The Newtown tragedies, that’s of course painful, has awakened America to the fact there is a hostility in the culture of the classroom. … Children every day in our nation are taking their own lives because they’re being harassed. They are treated with disdain, ridiculed, bullied with violence perpetrated against them.”
“We are not taking care of kids in a sense,” Yarrow said. “A quarter of children in America go through times when they need attention, but if they are very severe they are potential candidates to become perpetrators of harm for themselves or others. We need an environment in schools to be kind, not objective to friendship with a big blue frog.”
Holding a similar underlying meaning to the folk group’s previous hit, “Puff the Magic Dragon,” this book boasts the importance of caring. A message Yarrow says is not only for children, but adults too.
“The book teaches us to let out vulnerability and let caring emerge — this is not just a kids issue, adults’ reality shows make fun or humiliate others. Look at the role models look in congress look at how insults are traded. It’s terrible,” says Yarrow. “We need to understand as a society, we can claim our own dimension of caring and humanity and empathy for one another.”
If you go…
WHO: Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary.
WHAT: Sponsored by Sparta Books, a mini concert and book signing of “I’m in Love with a Big Blue Frog.”
WHEN: 7 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 21.
WHERE: Sparta Middle School, 18 Mohawk Avenue, Sparta, N.J.
HOW MUCH: $20 per family (up to 4), $5 additional.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:973-729-6200 or SpartaBooks.com.
Alexis Tarrazi 