The idea for this book grew from reading the folklore from the hey day of the Erie Canal. A small anecdote in Marvin Rapp's book, Canal Water and Whiskey, told of a giant frog that pulled tree stumps for farmers and hauled lumber too heavy for horses. It quoted a 1934 newspaper article where two men claimed that they saw Joshua sitting by the side of the road eating "monstrous insects," and when Joshua jumped into the pond he washed out the road. The two men had to rebuild the road before they could proceed home. How could I ignore such a wonderful larger-than-life character. This story is for children 5 and up, and especially appropriate to tie in with the New York State Elementary School Curriculum for Social Studies and Language Arts. I hope you enjoy reading about Joshua's adventures, and continue the tradition of oral storytelling to make up some of your own. 