Commander Toad And The Big Black Hole (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (Break-Of-Day Book) [School & Library Binding]

Jane Yolen (Author), Bruce Degen (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1996 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: Break-Of-Day Book

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. The space ship Star Warts, commanded by Commander Toad, encounters a black hole, which threatens the vehicle with doom.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 64 pages
• Publisher: Turtleback (August 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0808534300
• ISBN-13: 978-0808534303
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,904,063 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born and raised in New York City, Jane Yolen now lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She attended Smith College and received her master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. The distinguished author of more than 170 books, Jane Yolen is a person of many talents. When she is not writing, Yolen composes songs, is a professional storyteller on the stage, and is the busy wife of a university professor, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother. Active in several organizations, Yolen has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1986 to 1988, is on the editorial board of several magazines, and was a founding member of the Western New England Storytellers Guild, the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and the Bay State Writers Guild. For twenty years, she ran a monthly writer's workshop for new children's book authors. In 1980, when Yolen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the citation recognized that "throughout her writing career she has remained true to her primary source of inspiration--folk culture." Folklore is the "perfect second skin," writes Yolen. "From under its hide, we can see all the shimmering, shadowy uncertainties of the world." Folklore, she believes, is the universal human language, a language that children instinctively feel in their hearts. All of Yolen's stories and poems are somehow rooted in her sense of family and self. The Emperor and the Kite, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1983 for its intricate papercut illustrations by Ed Young, was based on Yolen's relationship with her late father, who was an international kite-flying champion. Owl Moon, winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal for John Schoenherr's exquisite watercolors, was inspired by her husband's interest in birding. Yolen's graceful rhythms and outrageous rhymes have been gathered in numerous collections. She has earned many awards over the years: the Regina Medal, the Kerlan Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Society of Children's Book Writers Award, the Mythopoetic Society's Aslan Award, the Christopher Medal, the Boy's Club Jr. Book Award, the Garden State Children's Book Award, the Daedalus Award, a number of Parents' Choice Magazine Awards, and many more. Her books and stories have been translated into Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Afrikaans, !Xhosa, Portuguese, and Braille. With a versatility that has led her to be called "America's Hans Christian Andersen," Yolen, the child of two writers, is a gifted and natural storyteller. Perhaps the best explanation for her outstanding accomplishments comes from Jane Yolen herself: "I don't care whether the story is real or fantastical. I tell the story that needs to be told."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST intergalactic toad book I have ever read., April 2, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Command Toad and the Big Black Hole (Paperback)

This book really fills a big black hole in modern literature. The subject of toads in space has been constantly avoided, mishandled, and disregarded since the publication of Ivan Rabinavski's "Why Toads could never make it on the moon." Jane Yolen places the space-toad in its proper perspective in a beautiful and meaningful manner, pulling no punches and using no foul language. I loved it

5.0 out of 5 stars Brave and bright, bright and brave, Commander Toad, November 1, 2004

By 

Okirun (Seattle, WA, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Commander Toad and the Big Black Hole (Paperstar Book) (Paperback)

I totally loved these books when I was a kid! I really wish I still had this one. :D It has that eerie quality that most kids just love.. not scary at all, just strange, it will stick with a kid. It's that indefinable magic that shows up so much stronger when you're young, and maybe reading books like this will keep it alive later on. :D The characters are great too, this is how all kid's books should be!

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A huge disappointment, August 15, 2007

By 

Abby M. Gross "Abby" (West Hurley, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Commander Toad and the Big Black Hole (Paperstar Book) (Paperback)

I bought this book for my science-oriented 4yr old grandson who is fascinated by "black holes" in space. This book is a huge disappointment as the illustrations are unattrative, the story is silly and it teaches nothing. The back cover states it is a "space spoof." I wish I had known that before I bought it. Nowhere in any reviews was that made clear. Additionally, my copy had 8 pages missing text. It certainly is not for a 4 year old, nor was there anything in it for his grandmother.