A Hippy-Hoppy Toad

January 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 2-"In the middle of a puddle/in the middle of the road/on a teeter-totter twig/sat a teeny-tiny toad." No sooner are readers introduced to the smiling yellow toad than he's catapulted into an adventure: "SNAP! went the twig./UP! went the toad." It's the first of many abrupt transitions in the toad's cumulative, circuitous odyssey down a road and back again. Every shift in the action is marked with onomatopoeia-the toad hops, thumps, swooshes, and lots more besides-adding punch to the rhyming repetition of the text. Lively, textured illustrations, done in bold naturalistic colors, also enhance the action, spanning the gutter of every spread and establishing a pleasing sense not only of momentum but also of scale: this "teeny-tiny" toad is indeed dwarfed by nearly every animal and object he encounters. VERDICT A solid storytime pick; be prepared for repeat readings.-Rebecca Honeycutt, NoveList, Durham, NC

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
A "teeny-tiny" toad leaps into a big, rhyming adventure. A twig snaps, launching the toad up into a tree. A bird pecks, and the toad plunges down into a flower. A bee buzzes, and the toad books it into the grass. On and on it goes, as the toad encounters more and more nearby creatures, each time swiftly employing his best exit strategy. The cadence of the language calls to mind the nursery classic "Over in the Meadow," but the predictable, circular plot is different enough to warrant multiple rereadings. Archer's wordplay shines in her use of rhyming adjectives, such as "teeter-totter," "raggy-shaggy," and "hush-rush." The typeface is large and readable against the simple backgrounds--especially the bold onomatopoeic sounds and actions, printed in colorful display type. Wilsdorf's ink-and-watercolor illustrations expertly synchronize with the rhythm of the text: a visual pattern of spot illustrations followed by three-quarter-page spreads to introduce each new verse and setting. Readers will delight in the toad's many silly expressions and in opportunities to test their memories of the plot. The sparse endpapers, depicting toad riding a leaf in the breeze, suggest prior and further journeys for the hapless amphibian. A catchy, "hippy-hoppy" storytime read-aloud with "easy, breezy" language. (Picture book. 3-7)

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