Joanne L. Mcgonagle

I received an ARC from the author, read it with my children (6 & 3) and enjoyed it. The artwork is beautiful and the story is quite educational. However, I'm uncertain of the age range the book is intended for. I found that it was a little long to hold the interest of my two children until the end, but had quite a few words that would likely be too complex for a young reader on their own; as would some of the species break downs, for example the difference between an ordinary and common toad. I can really see this book appealing to a 9 or 10-year-old who is already interested in amphibians.

I respect the book's goal of informing readers about a less glamours species and trying to spark interest. As the author says, "Frogs and Toads need help too." It certainly does that. By the end of the book my girls and I had a much better understanding of a toad's biology. We also appreciated the books theme to love yourself, differences and all. I thought most of the book flowed well, though I could have done with some contractions so that it didn't feel so formal. There was also some subtle wit, for example the way Andrew's mother appears to be oblivious to the way his name already marks him as different from his siblings while asking him why he always has to be different. Final call, I'll have to give it the nod. It's worth adding to the library shelf.… (plus d'informations)

This is a delightful story about a little toad’s journey of self-discovery. Feeling ordinary and unimportant, a little toad embarks on a solo nocturnal hop to ask his grandfather what it is to be an amphibian. Along the way he learns that he might not be as ordinary as he thought.
I found this book very enjoyable the story and the illustrations are fantastic. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cute little read or has the desire to learn more about the not so ordinary but really extraordinary toad.

**I received an ARC in return for an honest review**
… (plus d'informations)

This is a delightful story about a little toad’s journey of self-discovery. Feeling ordinary and unimportant, a little toad embarks on a solo nocturnal hop to ask his grandfather what it is to be an amphibian. Along the way he learns that he might not be as ordinary as he thought.
I found this book very enjoyable the story and the illustrations are fantastic. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cute little read or has the desire to learn more about the not so ordinary but really extraordinary toad.

**I received an ARC in return for an honest review**
… (plus d'informations)

This is the story of a young toad named Andrew, pondering whether his life would be more interesting had he been hatched a frog. Andrew decides to take his first solo hop to ask his grandpa some questions about what it means to be an amphibian. Along the way he runs into other animals that make him realize a toad's life really is extraordinary.

I was sent this book by the author and right away the title of the book intrigued me. Every one of us, especially children, want to feel extraordinary. But, really, for most of us, we lead ordinary lives, are a part of ordinary families, and live in ordinary communities. But, much like Andrew the toad, we wonder what makes other people so special. Why do they have such pretty hair or blue eyes? Andrew takes us through his feelings as he compares himself to the seemingly special frogs. But, as he learns about his own special qualities, he realizes there are reasons why he is so different from frogs.

I liked how the facts were sprinkled into the story. I certainly learned more about toads and what makes them unique to frogs. I'm not sure I would have known the difference between them before reading this story.

Andrew the toad has a loving Mom and Grandpa who are willing to listen to his questions and concerns. For children who have fears or frustrations this is an opportunity to show them you are there to listen and help.
With "bullying" being at the forefront of news stories and with schools implementing programs to bring more attention to bullying, this story will also resonate with a child who feels "left out" or picked on.

The illustrations throughout each page are delightful. The artist kept each page slightly dark due to the toad's being nocturnal but found ways to include bright spots of color as Andrew travels through the woods. The details on the fox and the expressions she gives each animal jump off the pages.

Due to the length of the story and use of vocabulary, I feel this book is best for children in Kindergarten on up. This would make a great addition to your home, school or community library.… (plus d'informations)