Tad /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

* Indie Next List Selection * Winner of the Oscar's Book Prize *

From Benji Davies, the award-winning creator of The Storm Whale and illustrator of the Goodnight Already! series, comes a heartwarming and tender tale about courage and growth, featuring a special tadpole named Tad.

Tad is small. In fact, she is the smallest almost-a-frog in the whole, wide pond. That makes it hard for her to do big things like follow her tadsiblings who swim to other parts of the pond when they outgrow the nest.

As her tadbrothers and tadsisters swim up, up, up, they leave poor Tad by her lonesome. That's until...Big Blub shows up! He's not only bigger than Tad, but Big Blub isn't exactly what a tadpole would consider friendly.

Swimming at her own pace, Tad soon learns how to to be bigger than her fears. Benji Davies creates a memorable and timeless tale that proves sometimes the mightiest creature comes in the smallest package.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

This smartly constructed story follows a school of tadpoles as they grow and change--all except the smallest, Tad. The tadpoles' nemesis is an ancient fish named Big Blub ("He was as old as the mud, they said"), who is partial to eating tadpoles. Underwater effects and a blue-green palette evoke murky liquidity as the tadpoles, with big, inquisitive eyes, achieve frogdom one by one: "We've lost our tails, we've lost our tails!" they cry. The tension mounts as Tad notices her companions leaving ("Where had they all gone? She didn't like to think"). Finally, Tad finds herself alone in the pond, and an inky double-page spread shows her cowering behind rocks as bubbles from below signal a hungry fish; she escapes in the nick of time. With firm command of his artwork and his pacing, Davies weds keen suspense to the slow, difficult process of waiting for milestones. By hitching that dilemma to the energy of an enemy-prey drama, he makes Tad's frustration--and delight at discovering where the others have gone--all the more vivid. Ages 4--8. (June)

School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 1--In this charming story, a little tadpole named Tad is a late bloomer. Her brothers and sisters morph into frogs sooner than she does. She is all alone and afraid of Big Blub, a big, nasty fish at the bottom of the pond. However, Tad puts self-confidence into practice and she doesn't give up, because she knows she is strong and clever. When she finally comes face-to-face with Big Blub, Tad gathers her courage and swims faster than ever. She swims to the top of the pond to escape and climbs onto a rock. It is then that Tad realizes she finally lost her tail. This is a title that teaches readers to accept themselves, never give up, and to stand up to bullies. The detailed illsutrations are colorful and bright. VERDICT Highly recommended for purchase. This is a story about resilience that would work in classrooms or public library collections.--Robin Sofge, Prince William P.L. Syst., VA

Horn Book Review

Tiny Tad is the smallest of her "tadbrothers" and "tadsisters," standing out on the page from the many other tadpoles due to her unique yellow color and the way she lags behind. Her siblings warn her about Big Blub, "a great big nasty fish" shown against a background of murky deep water, so she stays in the shallows and hides behind rocks. Gradually the other tadpoles grow legs (and lose their tails), and Tad is left all alone. "But she was strong and she was clever and she knew all the best hiding places. Big Blub would never catch her. Oh no! Big Blub!" The previous pages are almost all shades of green, but as Tad finally takes a jump, this double-page spread shows brightly colored flowers and sparkling blue water, with comical big-eyed frogs smiling as they watch her leap. The final spread shows Tad with her froggy siblings curled up again in a leaf surrounded by lush plants in a red, pink, and blue terrestrial setting. The book's pacing is strong, with exciting moments printed in big letters and with skillful page-turns to emphasize the action. The theme of the tiny overcoming the big is universally resonant, and the ending is both triumphant and cozy. Bold visuals and a conversational tone provide for a great storytime choice. Susan Dove Lempke September/October 2020 p.59(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

A tiny tadpole finally finds her frog legs. Tad, depicted as an earnest yellow eye attached to a wiggly black tail, is "the smallest almost-a-frog in the whole wide pond." She wriggles "twice as fast just to keep up" with her endearing tadsiblings, all of them bursting with expression even though they are all pretty much simple egg-shaped eyes with tails. But "she [is] strong and she [is] clever," and she counts on these skills to keep her safe from Big Blub, a creepy greenish fish who's reputed to feed on little tadpoles. "Tad [has] never seen Big Blub" and "decide[s] not to believe" in him, her smug smile turning anxious as she finds hiding spots, "just in case." The tadpoles grow legs and lose their tails, and they positively thrum with youthful energy as they rejoice in their new bodies--"All except for Tad," who stays bean-shaped and be-tailed. The number of Tad's tadbrothers and tadsisters starts to dwindle, slowly and ominously, until she's left all alone. The slow suspense, tapping into young children's fear of abandonment, builds masterfully with joyous payoff in a final, vibrant spread after Tad skedaddles away from Big Blub in a riotous burst of limbs. Davies' mostly muted palette is dominated by teal and algae green, enlivened with the tadpoles' bright yellow, orange, blue, and purple eyes. One of the cutest tadpole-to-frog stories ever. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.