this is the first meeting of friends jumper the frog and freddy hopper, with their brand new friends, who live on belmore ave in montreal, the grace kids. thomas 7, caroline 5 and emily who is 3. the story always starts off with the reader and the listening children, singing the jumper theme song. no jumper story can start without it. once it is sung, the story can then begin, and always has the two young frogs following a noise which brings them to the grace children. once together they go off through montreal in whatever fashion they want, by car, by motor or pedal bike or by tractor even. they drive themselves, they do not ask for permission, they prepare their journey and off they go. the underlying theme of the series of jumper the frog stories, are one of friendship, compassion, empathy, fun and especially respect of each and with various characters be they dogs, cats, humans or squirrels, they are young and old and in between, there are shop store owners or a frog's parent or a tractor driver. the real underlying theme is they are friends and they are young and are good to each other and like each and respect each other. and there is a strong bond of friendship[p which runs through the lot of the characters the story is quirky in parts and with slightly off beat humor, but i've found my children loved that quirkiness and where it included them, well it made it much more enthralling for them. they had no limits, they could do what they pleased within the stories. and the people telling the stories can insert the name of their own child or children instead mine, or change the name of one of the dogs or cats to match the one they have at home. enjoy the story.