A Song for Little Toad [Paperback]

Vivian French (Author), Barbara Firth (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

The author of Once Upon a Time tells a charming, calming story that will reassure parents and children alike. When Little Toad cannot sleep, the sheep, duck, and nightingale try to help with lullabyes. But Old Mother Toad knows that only her song will do the trick. Watercolor illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Old Mother Toad tries to sing the songs of ducks, sheep and nightingales, until her sleepy son requests her own croaky lullaby. "The wide-eyed characters of this bedtime book seem endlessly expressive," said PW. Ages 3-5.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1?A common theme in children's literature?that each of us is a beautiful and valuable individual?is presented in a fresh, charming way as Mother Toad croaks a lullaby to her wakeful baby. A sheep and a duck advise her to stop that awful noise and soothe him with baaing and quacking instead. And when a nightingale overwhelms them all with the ineffable beauty of his voice, Mother Toad is totally demoralized. Then Little Toad, sleepy at last, begs for his very own mother's song, calling it the most wonderful in the whole world, and happy croaking begins once again. The double-page, delicate pencil-and-watercolor illustrations in soft shades are sweetly set off by pink frames entwined with vines and flowers. Baby Toad in his bonnet and nightgown, his aproned mother, the fluffy sheep, and the bright-eyed ducks are lively and winsome. Humor, repetition, and rhythm make the text especially nice for reading aloud.?Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763603473
• ISBN-13: 978-0763603472
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,060,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Vivian French is an acclaimed children's author with a long and respected list of titles to her name. She lives in Edinburgh and is a regular attendee at the Edinburgh Book Festival where she hosts events with illustrators of picture books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars You Will Want Your Own Toad, I Promise You., January 24, 2012

By 

C. Kaylor (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Song for Little Toad (Paperback)

One of the cutest books I've ever seen! A Song for Little Toad makes me want to get some toads and dress them in outfits! Look at the baby toad with his little pop-eyes in his leaf bassinet! Look at the mother's rapturous singing pose and her apron!

Written by Vivian French and illustrated by Barbara Firth, the book was published in 1995. The story is cute, too--a mother toad is trying to sing her baby to sleep and every animal passing by suggests she change her croaky song to something prettier, like "quack-quack" or "baa-baa," none of which, obviously, does the trick for the baby toad. In the end he asks her to sing her his own song, because, "You have the most beautiful voice in all the whole wide world."