Hoptoad

by Jane Yolen, Karen Lee Schmidt (Illustrator)

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!

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens, Animals, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

Jane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes I get the impression that Yolen is a natural poet, always honing her talent. It's like she goes for walks, or gardens, and images or lines come to her, and she finds it relatively easy to find a few more lines, and voila, there's a text for some illustrator to take over and make a book out of. Good way to give a lot of different artists a boost, getting their names affiliated with hers.

Case in particular point, Hoptoad. Picture-book format, but easy leveled-reader words (except for one extra pun). Most of the story is actually told by the pictures. Accessible, I would think, by age 3 or even younger, but also enjoyable for up to first or second grade. Not particularly for me, but I do respect the work of both creators, the humor, and the value of the lessons.

[Kimberly Sabatini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious story and illustrations.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The children in our library pre-school story time enjoyed slapping their legs in a "hopping" motion as they encourage the toad in the story to hurry! The performers used their arms to indicate WIDE as a description of the road. They "spied" something red coming--what could it be? A TRUCK! Frantic hopping motions ensued but the toad STOPS in the middle of the road! The children shout with the performers, "Hop toad!" The children are coached to say on the count of three, "STOP!" The riders in the truck (a dad, a boy, and a dog) get out and look for the toad. WHEW! Safe! The children wave with the performers as the toad hops away.

Lots of tension, happy ending!

[Miss Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Found this one to be less interesting than hoped for and the illustrations, while full of character, were not my style.

[Pavla Pletkova · Rating 3 out of 5]

0 stars for the writing but all the stars for the illustration. Beautiful!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoptoad tries to cross the road without getting flattened like... well, a toad.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very short
lends itself to predictability

Cute

great illustrations

[Deja Bertucci]

Would make a great, very short story time read. toads, roads, crossing, kindness

[Madison Hurlbut · Rating 2 out of 5]

The context in this book is slim to none and the sentences are very dry. The illustrations and the text do have a marriage, but the information given is very limited

[Pamela Hatch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hoptoad / by Jane Yolen ; illustrated by Karen Lee Schmidt -- San Diego : Silver Whistle / Harcourt, Inc, c2003. (32 pages)

SUMMARY: A toad barely escapes being squashed beneath the wheels of a car. (verso)

REVIEW: Very simply told story in large font words that are very few to each page telling the story of three desert animals (turtle, lizard, and hoptoad) that are trying to cross a road. As Hoptoad is halfway across a car is fast approaching and he freezes -- will the car miss him? -- I do like that the father and son in the car stop and check to see if the hoptoad did make it or not -- not going to tell you, you will have to read it for yourself.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This quick read was part of story time today. It is similar to a game of Frogger as the toad hops across the road. Of course, there is a happy ending since it is aimed at such small children. There are a few other animals in the book. Kids could have a lot of fun hopping and making the noises in the book.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toad tries desperately to get across the road. YIKES! Along comes a truck...which might mean impending TOAD-AL disaster. With the help of his friends...toad just might make it.

Used for "Frog Fever" Family Storytime-May, 2010.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little book about a boy and his dad who are out for a drive on the same day that a toad is deciding to cross the road. Will it be a toad-al disaster or will the toad make it across? My elementary kids really enjoyed this book.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok- it had some humorous parts and the illustrations were pretty cool-a painted style with other coloring showing underneath. The text is sparse, not even forming complete sentences half the time.

[Maggie KutsBorg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book that really relies on how you read it for its success, since there are so few words. Since I had lost most of my voice and energy to a cold, it went OK - it will go better next time when I can read it with all my usual enthusiasm.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book to my six-year-old son tonight. When he saw that he recognized most of the words, he pulled it off of my lap and said, "I'll read it!" And he did.

The story was cute; the illustration were great.

[The Brothers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I checked this book out at the library specifically to work on sounding out words with Asher. The illustrations are really fun and there aren't a lot of words on the page to make it difficult. The words are also big and bold and in an easy to read font.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fun, very easy to read book about a toad, a turtle and a lizard crossing the road. Few words per page. Great for beginning readers.

**Talking points - why is it important to be very careful when you cross the road? What are some of our other family rules?

[Grammy's · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps ghoulish ... but fun.

[Tricia]

Okay, it's a little twisted. Toad almost gets run over on the road. No, really that is the story. I saw horror on my children's faces!

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book about a near toad-al road disaster has ended up keeping my boys on the sidewalk better, lest they become like Hoptoad but worse.

[Colby Sharp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Impossible to read and think of the game "Frogger".

[Lesley Looper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty illustrations and happy ending. Otherwise, the story was okay.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

So funny and cute, and a great choice for storytime! Big pictures, few words, and plenty that you can animate.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you just need a good, fun book that teaches no lesson and imparts no moral. Hoptoad is one of those books.

[Stephanie Croaning · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the game of Frogger in a picture book!

Picture book, beginning reader
Interest level: Pre-K through K
3 out of 5 stars

Jane Yolen has a subscription service where every day you can receive a poem that she has written. All that she asks is that you don't publish any of her poems with out her permission (she does need to make a living!) and that at the end of a month of poems, you either buy or check out one of her books.

For my first month, I decided to select the lesser-known Hoptoad. This is a relatively simple story. A frog is crossing a fairly deserted road when a truck looms in the distance. The reader urges "hop toad, fast, faster," but the frog has frozen in the middle. Because this book is intended for very young readers, there is of course a happy ending.

The toad starts and ends his journey with two friends -- a turtle and a lizard. It is fun to speculate how they got to be friends, and why were they crossing the road? The text is minimal, repetitious, and at a basic beginning reading level. Young readers just beginning to sound out words and tackle reading on their own will be able to access this story.

The illustrations are a good fit for the tone of the text. I especially love how Schmidt has rendered the clouds in the sky.

Any adult who has ever played the video game Frogger will make a connection with this story. It's impossible not to!