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Summary
Summary
A boy, his dad, and his dog are out for a drive on a beautiful sunny day. Unfortunately, a hapless toad is trying to make its way across the very same road. Talk about bad timing. Is there any hope of avoiding toad -al disaster? Maybe. See what a sharp-witted and caring boy can do to save the day.
Storyteller Jane Yolen has written a deceptively simple tale that's fun, exciting, and perfect for reading aloud again and again. Illustrator Karen Lee Schmidt has created an irresistible creature--and everyone who meets this toad will root for a happy ending!
Author Notes
Jane Yolen was born February 11, 1939 in New York City. She received a bachelor's degree from Smith College in 1960 and a master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts in 1976. After college, she became an editor in New York City and wrote during her lunch break. She sold her first children's book, Pirates in Petticoats, at the age of 22. Since then, she has written over 300 books for children, young adults, and adults.
Her other works include the Emperor and the Kite, Owl Moon, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? and The Devil's Arithmetic. She has won numerous awards including the Kerlan Award, the Regina Medal, the Keene State Children's Literature Award, the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, two Christopher Medals, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards, the Golden Kite Award, the Jewish Book Award, the World Fantasy Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Association of Jewish Libraries Award.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Rhymed text, with no more than three large-print words per page, chronicles a toad's attempt to cross a desert highway. A lizard and tortoise accompany the critter part way, but his mid-road rest stop causes a boy and his dad to stop their red camper and assist. The watercolor-and-gouache scenes depict desert flora, and Schmidt makes comic use of the toad's perspective in a surrealistic view of the vehicle. Fun for new readers, the book also serves as a quick read-aloud for preschoolers, who will thrive on the suspense.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
A sparse, rhyming text describes a toad's death-defying trip across a road. Unfortunately, Yolen's wordplay, such as toad-al disaster, will be lost on the intended audience. The gouache and watercolor paintings offer dramatic perspectives and lively humor, but several spreads are marred by unfortunate gutter placement. From HORN BOOK Fall 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A turtle, toad, and a lizard take off across a wide desert road. Lizard and turtle seem to make it without incident, but toad gets caught in the path of an oncoming truck. Toad hops; truck swerves; "toad-al disaster" is narrowly avoided, and the nice father and son in the truck reunite toad with his reptile buddies. Though it might be the reason most consider purchase of this new work, Yolen's 43-word rhyming text is not the star here. Schmidt's watercolor-and-gouache, cartoon-skewed pictures are the real joy. Each double-paged, full-bleed illustration comes from a different perspective. From the father's worried eyes reflected in the rearview mirror to the toad's uncertainty about being picked up by the boy, all the characters are expressive. The landscape surrounding this near disaster, though arid, is full of life. The youngest listeners will need the pun at the heart of the story explained to them, but everyone will root for this warty, new hero. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
PreS-K. Why did the toad cross the road? To get to the other side, of course. In Yolen's simple picture book for preschoolers, a toad and his reptilian desert buddies attempt to cross a road in front of an oncoming truck: "Hop--toad! Hop, hop / across that road." What could be a toad-aldisaster is luckily avoided because the father and son (and dog) in the truck spot the reckless amphibian in time to stop. They crawl under the truck, locate the toad in question, and set him free: "Hop toad, / off that road." Schmidt's expressive paintings get right down to road--and toad--level, so the perspectives on the approaching red truck and reaching human hands are quite dramatic. Psychedelic desert skies add a surreal touch to this suspenseful, appealingly understated story of tragedy narrowly averted. KarinSnelson.
