How to use this Page

 Tad and Taylor don’t know each other.

Yet.

But in The Hop (Hyperion, 2012), a new middle-grade novel by Sharelle Byars Moranville, they’re both concerned about the same pond.

To Tad, a toad, it’s his home. To Taylor, a human girl, it’s a spot near her grandmother’s house that has provided some of her favorite memories.

Why are Tad and Taylor worried? Because the land is slated to be turned into a strip mall, which mean a backhoe will be coming to destroy everything.

Soon.

Tad has one ray of hope. Legend holds that one brave young toad can help—but at a terrible price. Only if a toad kisses a human girl will Toadville be saved. Tad wants to rise to the challenge. So, with his best friend, Buuurk, he ventures off.

Taylor is trying to help as well. And when she meets Tad, their combined efforts just might be enough to save the day.

——————–

Reviewer: Abby

Age: 11

I like: Chocolate, Taylor Swift, books and dolphins.

This book was about: A frog named Tad whose home will only be saved if he kisses the Queen of the Hop.

The best part was when: Tad announced to the rest of Toadville-by-Tumbledown that he had kissed the Queen of the Hop, and that they were saved.

I laughed when: Tad became a human and helped Taylor look for the toad – who was Tad!

I was worried when: Tad lost Buuurk, and was scared.

I was surprised that: Tad turned into a human!

This book taught me: That no matter what happens, always keep working toward your goal.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: How Taylor absolutely loves her grandmother and also loves the pond.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Funny.” “Heartwarming.” “Happy.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “Rumbler still has his big stinky feet right by us,” somebody said. “So how do you know we’re saved?” “Because I kissed the Queen of the Hop,” Tad said. And he could only hope that she would keep her promise.”

You should read this book because: It is a book of friendship and determination. It shows that you can do anything when you put your mind to it.

——————–

Thanks, Abby!

Sharelle Byars Moranville has written several other books, including Over the River – a Booklist Top Ten First Juvenile Novel, a Booklist Top Ten Historical Juvenile Novel, and a finalist for the 2005-2006 Iowa Children’s Choice Award. She’s also written A Higher Geometry – a Bank Street College of Education Best Book and a Booklist Top 10 Youth Romance.

If you’d like to learn more about Sharelle, you can visit her website. Or read this interview.

Oh No! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat

It all started when a smart girl builds a giant robot as a science project.  When it goes on a rampage, she realizes all of the features that she should have included and ones that it definitely should not have, like the laser eye.  She also realizes that it is up to her to stop it.  She tries to communicate with it, but when that and hitting it fail, she comes up with another solution.  She builds a gigantic toad programmed to destroy the robot.  And it works!  Now just to solve the problem of what can stop a giant toad…

Riotously funny, this book is a brilliant tribute to the monster flicks of the 1950s.  Barnett’s dry, understated text heightens the drama and action of the story.  Santat’s illustrations pay homage to vintage comics in the colors and stylings, but remain firmly modern too.  The illustrations are worth lingering over, especially the many and varied signs shown throughout the city, some in Chinese letters, strengthening that tie to monster movies. 

This is a picture book worth sharing with a wide range of ages, even young teens who may have seen some of the type of movies this book references.  Happily cheesy, wonderfully funny, this book is extraordinary.

Reviewed from library copy.

It's Activity Corner here on Tappity Tappity!

Here's a fun thing to do. Seriously. It's addicting like Orange Tic-Tacs and giant bricks of crack cocaine. (Or so I've heard...)

Instructions:

1. The first article title on this page is the name of your band.

2. The last four words of the very last quotation is the title of your album.

3. The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result:

Here's a couple of mine:

Seriously. How could you not buy a couple of sweet CDs that looked like these? I know what I'm doing in my (ahem) off-time.