The toad has many admirable and fascinating qualities. She waits for prey (bugs, worms, and spiders) to walk by and then gulps them down. She eats her shed skin, releases a toxin when threatened, and does NOT have warts! They're just camouflage, to help her blend in with the ground. Just like frogs, since toads are, after all, a type of frog, she lays eggs which hatch into tadpoles.
All these and more facts are included in this delightful easy reader. Gravel's cartoon illustrations are hilarious, with a pop-eyed toad cheerfully going about her business, unconcerned with what humans think of her. Toilet water? It's still water! Eating your own skin? Part of a healthy diet! The text is laid out in large, bold fonts, including different colors.
One thing that particularly caught my notice was the use of female pronouns. I don't know if you've noticed, but many picture books and easy readers, including nonfiction, default to "he" when talking about animals. I find myself doing it unconsciously, so it's nice when an author takes the time to add a little diversity!
The reading level of this book, like most nonfiction easy readers, is going to be a little challenging for beginning readers but the highlighted single words offer plenty of practice for them when reading together with an adult.
Verdict: Another delightful entry in a fun series. Highly recommended.
ISBN: 9781770496675; Published 2016 by Tundra; Review copy provided by LibraryThing Early Reviewers; Donated to the library
No comments:
Post a Comment