Dianne Baker

Dianne Baker has been friends with Mister Frog for nearly 40 years. The fictional character she created in a song in 1971 has taken on a new life for a new generation thanks to the book “Mister Frog — You Just Think You’re Smart,” which Baker recently published. The 32-page book, aimed at preschool to third grade and beyond, features the lyrics to the song in printed form, with illustrations by former Ann Arborite Samantha Sethi. The accompanying CD includes an introduction featuring Baker, the Mister Frog story and a sing-along with a kids’ choir.

“He’s been around a long time,” said Baker. “That frog has been in a lot of places. He’s been in tragic situations, such as children and families facing end-of-life issues, as well as happy places, such as school and community sing-alongs. He’s even been to the Power Center and Rackham Auditorium for programs and conferences with educators.” Baker, who has a background in science and nursing and who has more recently been focused on “literacy by singing,” said the song came about when her young children (Debbie, Dori and David Baker) were observing how tadpoles turn into frogs in Honey Creek, near her home.” Her children collected tadpoles and put them in a goldfish bowl and watched them change to frogs and wrote the song. “I got them started, but they were a part of it. They were very excited,” she recalled. Over the years, Mister Frog continued to take on a life of his own. “He made his first appearance in the ‘Let’s Go Singing’ book. And then he was included in the CD ‘Mister Frog and Friends.’ Now he finally has his own book. I’ve been so thrilled,” Baker said. “The kids love it. The children love the colorful illustrations, and the parents enjoy the natural setting of the book.” She said young children may also relate the story of Mister Frog’s transformation to changes in their own lives. “The transformation of the tadpole to the frog is so much in line with what they are going through,” Baker said. “When the frog finally jumps to the lily pad, the kids can think about new things they might be able to do, such as learning to read or learning to ride a bike. And they can talk to their grandparents about when they were kids, what it was like growing up, whether there was a creek to go to . . . there are many spinoff topics.” Baker’s nephew, Mark Maynard, a musician/artist from Michigan now living in Brooklyn, N.Y. (and not to be confused with another Mark Maynard, author of a popular blog about Ypsilanti), designed the cover and layout of the book. Illustrator Sethi, who also now lives in Brooklyn, said she met Baker through Maynard.

“He told me about his aunt's music and his experiences growing up with Mister Frog. I studied illustration and painting in NYC and wanted to illustrate children's books. Mark knew Dianne was looking to collaborate on a book and suggested we talk. “I loved many of her songs, but Mister Frog was my favorite,” said Sethi. “The song feels so classic. I love that it is educational while being so imaginative and quirky. As a child, I remember finding tadpoles in a creek near my house, so it was easy to relate.”

Like many other independent authors, Baker has financed the “Mister Frog” project herself, having 100 copies at a time printed. She notes that she is more writer than a salesperson. She prefers to spend her time composing, writing, and singing her songs with children and families. Despite the lack of formal music training (she had a year of piano and taught herself guitar), she has spent a lot of her time traveling across Michigan working with schools and helping kids write songs about the history of their towns and the history of Michigan. She also works with the Music for the Health of It program at the University of Michigan Turner Senior Resource Center and Evangelical Homes.

Early on, she said she received encouragement from Eugene Troth, former dean of the U-M School of Music. Besides activities involved with the sales and distribution of “Mister Frog,” including the task of finding an agent, Baker has been busy in the studio with new projects. She recently recorded two songs for Earth Day, “Save the Earth” and “Plant a Tree for Tomorrow.” Meanwhile, she said there have been many benefits to her long association with the fun-loving Mister Frog. “I’ve met so many people along the way. I never know who I’ll meet who will inspire the next song,” Baker said. The book, which sells for $16.95, is available at Nicola’s Books, Tree Town Toys and also direct from Baker via her Web site, www.songsalive.com. Baker will be on hand with Mister Frog for an interactive music program at Ann Arbor’s Tree Town Toys, 2611 Plymouth Road, on May 22 at 10:30 a.m.

Prints from the book are available online at SamanthaSethi.etsy.com. View selected images from “Mister Frog” and other artwork by Samantha Sethi, visit www.samanthasethi.com.