A Hippy-Hoppy Toad

Rhyming verse introduces this picture book's hero: "In the middle of a puddle / in the middle of a road / on a teeter-totter twig / sat a teeny-tiny toad." This opening scene, in pale, earthy hues, provides scale-the toad is smaller than the snail, a bit bigger than the ants, and overshadowed by the patch of clover. It can be difficult being small (as children know), and this idyllic picture is soon disturbed: "Snap! went the twig. / Up! went the toad. / And he landed on a tree / by the side of the road." Things escalate from here: he's chased by a bee; an altercation with a cricket leads to trouble with a dog, a lizard, and a big gust of wind. With his mouth often set in a hard line of worry, the resilient little amphibian takes all challenges in stride until the final stop on this adventure brings him into contact ("Bump!") with a pair of huge, brightly patterned sneakers in motion. He grips on tightly and a double-page spread maps the path the sneakers are running, reversing the toad's direction and eventually returning him to his original twig, bringing the story full circle. The chantable rhythm of the text and the occasional burst of onomatopoeia pair well with the art, and the side-of-the-road landscape and its small creatures provide big comedy, excitement, and personality. julie roach