The Hula Painted Frog

**This is a story of environmental hope.** **It is a story of resilience.** **It is a story of… a frog.** In the 1950s, measures to control malaria led to the destruction of the Hula painted frog’s unique marshy habitat along the River Jordan in Israel. Decades passed, and after trying many times to find the frog, scientists declared the species extinct. But in 2011, the frog leaped into the scientific spotlight when it reemerged in the waters of a small nature preserve. Against all the odds, the species had managed to survive, hidden from humans for more than fifty years in the grass and mud. This delightful picture book tells the story of the frog’s miraculous return from the brink of extinction. Told from the perspective of one of the frogs, it is a heart-warming cautionary tale that will inspire children to care for and help protect the environment. Maya Gonen is an illustrator and graphic designer who prefers projects with social, environmental, or meaningful added value. She works with both traditional and digital techniques and is always happy to embark on new creative adventures. In 2024, a wordless picture book she illustrated was a finalist in the Silent Book Contest and exhibited at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Maya has a background in photography and co-founded an artist collective earlier in her career.