Hoptoad

Hoptoad
by Jane Yolen
Illustrated by Karen Lee Schmidt

This is a simple, fun rhyming story for young children. It depicts a hoptoad (along with a lizard and a turtle) hopping across the road. Along comes a a truck, and hoptoad just might be in trouble! The words in the story state: Truck coming. Heavy load. Toad hop. Toad hop! Oh no- don't stop. Here comes toad-al disaster.

As I read this book, I can imagine a group of young children engaged in the reading. "Toad hop! toad hop!" The illustrations are cute, and kids will be cheering for the little hoptoad by the end of this story.

As I read Jane Yolen's books, I am struck by the enormous variety in her stories. It is hard for me to believe that the same women writing "Hoptoad" and "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" wrote "Briar Rose" a novel about the holocaust.

I have truly been enjoying this author study, and I think Yolen's diversity of style and types of books might inspire young writers to explore different genres in their own writing.