Frannie liked frogs. She had frog barrettes and a frog bath towel. She had frog wallpaper and a beanbag chair shaped like a frog. Her entire room was painted frog green.

Frannie also had a pet frog. His name was Gulp. Gulp was practically perfect. He liked to sit on Frannie’s shoulder and zap any flies that came near Frannie’s head. He liked to hop in the grass near the pond in the park. There was only one problem with Gulp. When he was in Frannie’s room, she couldn’t see him.

Gulp blended in to Frannie’s green room. He matched the carpet. He matched the curtains. He looked just like the beanbag chair. He was camouflaged.

This camouflage created a problem for Frannie. And for Gulp. Because she couldn’t see him, Frannie almost sat on him many times. But what to do?

Frannie had an idea. She would make Gulp a different color. That way he wouldn’t blend into her room any more. She went to the store and got a special paint that was safe for frogs. It was bright pink.

Frannie thought that Gulp looked amazing as a bright pink frog. Gulp wasn’t so sure. But, now that she could see him, Frannie did not almost sit on him. That was a relief.

After she painted him, Frannie took Gulp outside. He sat on her shoulder and zapped at flies. When they got to the pond, he jumped down to hop in the grass.  But then – disaster! A large bird swooped down and tried to peck at Gulp. Luckily Frannie rescued him before he got hurt. She scooped him up and ran home.

Frannie realized that when Gulp was green, he didn’t just blend into her room. He also blended in to the grass by the pond. His camouflage outside helped protect him from predators. It was important. When Frannie changed Gulp, she thought she was solving a problem. But she was creating a new one instead.

Frannie had another idea. She washed the pink paint off Gulp. Then she used the pink paint on her room. Soon everything was pink. Everything except for Gulp. She could see him now. Gulp was perfectly perfect. He had never been the problem at all.