As this delightful picture book opens, Fox is bored of his usual meal of
plain old toad, so he turns to a cookbook of toad recipes for
inspiration. Having caught a sackful of small, young toads as
recommended, Fox is deciding on a recipe when he is startled by the
appearance of the mother of these small "toadlets," who is horrified to
discover that Fox is planning to eat her babies. "Stop!" she commands
him, to no avail. Mamma Toad frantically tries everything in her power
to save her offspring, even offering herself for Fox to eat. But nothing
works. Until she suggests preparing her own delicious "secret" recipe
for Fox instead --- Toad-in-the-Hole. (The secret? No toads!) Linda
Bailey's story will thoroughly entertain pre-readers, as it hits the
right notes of droll humor spiced with just enough suspense. The lively
artwork by Colin Jack keeps the energy level high, and the scenes of the
toadlets wreaking havoc on fox's kitchen while he is distracted ---
rolling in honey, pelting canned peas at each other, parachuting off the
cabinet using bread slices --- provide a funny visual subplot to the
story that will keep youngsters involved. This book would provide a
wonderful starting point for conversations about how sometimes the
person who seems the strongest isn't the winner in the end, which could
tie into a character education lesson on perseverance. It might also
launch a discussion about trying new foods, after which the included
recipe could be prepared as a classroom activity.
