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StorySynopsisFirebelly, a small red-bellied frog missing two feet, has difficulty keeping up with the others. He hides his stumps and becomes quiet, contemplative, and very observant. He spends his time under a waterfall talking to an alluring Old Frog who tells him about adventures in the wild and what it means to be chosen as a pet. One day, ten-year-old Caroline selects Firebelly as her pet. Although initially fearful, Firebelly is soon overjoyed to have his own grand and spacious container. When Caroline’s father discovers his missing feet, he wants to exchange him for another frog, but Caroline resists—who else would care for such a frog. When Firebelly is temporarily moved in a rental car, the lid of his container comes off. He is now confronted with the choice between showing himself and returning to life as a pet, or jumping from the car and living an adventurous life in the wild. Immobilized by indecision, he does neither. The car is rented by a man with a troubled teenage daughter,
Claire. After a conflict, she steals the car and searches
for something meaningful in her life. Although Firebelly had
only thought of people as potential pet owners, he suddenly
realizes that only he, a small and insignificant frog, can
help this large and unknowable person. Even though he may be
tossed out the window, his next jump will
create his life. With one great leap of faith, he confronts the
unknown driver. At that moment, Claire understands that only
she can care for this spectacular and unexpected being.
The arc of this poetic story introduces readers to some of the great ideas in philosophy, especially those of the existential writers, Sartre, Heidegger, Kierkegaard, and Dostoyevsky. For information on the back story see Writing Firebelly. Excerpts from Firebelly
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