Toad Rage (The Toad Books) [Paperback]

Morris Gleitzman (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 11, 2005 | Age Range: 8 and up | Series: The Toad Books | Lexile Measure: 770L (What's this?)

Limpy’s family reckons humans don’t hate cane toads, but Limpy knows otherwise. He’s spotted the signs: the cross looks, the unkind comments, the way they squash cane toads with their cars. Limpy is desperate to save his species from ending up as pancakes. Somehow he must make humans see how fabulous cane toads really are. Risking everything, he sets off on a wart-tinglingly dangerous and daring journey to . . . the Olympics?

This is the epic story of a slightly squashed young cane toad’s quest for the truth.


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6–Author Morris Gleitzman's smooth Aussie-accented voice deftly narrates this story (Random, 2004) about a young cane toad's daring quest to change humankind's hatred for his species. After watching one of his favorite uncles deliberately flattened beneath the wheels of a car, Limpy (so-named for a bum leg which was "a bit squashed" after his own unlucky run-in with a car) sets off to find a way to reverse the human view of cane toads. The gross-out humor and short chapters make this an ideal choice for boys and reluctant readers. Kids might need a little help with some of the Australian dialect (e.g. "petrol station"), but they will delight in the tale and cheer on this unlikely hero.–Jennifer Iserman, Dakota County Library, Burnhaven Branch, Burnsville, MN
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6. In this amusing Australian import, readers get an amphibian's perspective on road kill. Limpy, a young cane toad, is horrified at how many of his family members have tragically died, flat as a pancake, on the road. He cannot understand why humans seem to go out of their way to run over toads. Desperate to save the rest of his family from the wheels of passing cars, Limpy decides he must do something to close the rift in human-toad relations, and he embarks on a risky campaign to show humans how nice cane toads can be. This funny tale of one toad's bold quest to reach out to another species will give readers plenty of laughs. Ed Sullivan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Yearling; 1st edition (January 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375827633
• ISBN-13: 978-0375827631
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.5 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #642,743 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is SOOOOOOO funny! March 31, 2005

A Kid's Review

Format:Hardcover

Who would have thought that I would love a book about Australian Cane Toads!?! It is fantastic. Limpy is a little Australian Cane Toad who has had many relatives flattened by trucks and cars. (Apparently this happens quite a bit in Australia). Limpy was hit by one but survived -- and has a limp that causes him to go in circles when he tries to run. He has a sister called Charm and a cousin called Goliath who is much larger than your average toad. Limpy and his gang cannot figure out why human being hate them. I love this book. It should be a movie!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Toadally awesome!!!!! May 6, 2005

By T. Mills

Format:Hardcover

I found this book to be a 'toadal' riot! Stack me! I always read my kids books and though this book has a few odd bodily frog things going on, it is a great way to get kids to learn a little vocabulary and geography from down under (there is a glossary at the back of the book). I highly recommend this book and can't wait until I read another Gleitzman book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! Very funny February 3, 2006

By The Owl

Format:Hardcover

I love this book. I teach 7th grade English and read it aloud to my students. They loved it and couldn't wait to hear what Limpy was up to next. It's rare to find a book that a majority of 7th graders will enjoy. They all want to hear Toad Heaven, so they can see more of Limpy and his family. I highly recommend it.