Toad on the Road: Mama and Me

by Stephen Shaskan, Stephen Shaskan (Illustrator)

Overview

Toad is back in his second read-aloud adventure—this time with Mama! Tender and funny, this mama and me story from author-illustrator Stephen Shaskan is perfect for kids learning to read.

With bold, eye-catching art and a bouncy rhyming text, this is the perfect gift for Mother’s Day and for fans of Llama Llama, Red Pajama!

Fox has a flat. Goat ran out of gas. But help has arrived from Mama and Toad.

Go, Mama, go!

Go, little Toad!

Help your friends get back on the road.

“The call-and-response construction of the tale will lend itself well to performing for preschoolers. A catchy cautionary tale.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review for Toad on the Road)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062393494
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/06/2018
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.80(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD220L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Stephen Shaskan graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in illustration. Stephen is an author, illustrator, an early childhood educator, and a music maker. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Trisha Speed Shaskan, and their cat, Eartha, and dog, Bea.

Stephen Shaskan graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in illustration. Stephen is an author, illustrator, an early childhood educator, and a music maker. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Trisha Speed Shaskan, and their cat, Eartha, and dog, Bea.

Editorial Reviews

The digitally created characters in the colorful illustrations are sweetly expressive...Shaskan’s message of friendship and helping each other would be a great discussion starter for any early childhood class.” — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

02/01/2018
PreS—Mama and Toad, traveling in Mama's tow truck, help out all of their friends in this rhyming read-aloud. As Mama and Toad travel along the road, they encounter friends who have a variety of problems (Goat out of gas, Fox with a flat, Moose in the muck) and are able to help everyone. In return, they are thanked by all of their friends with a party. Mama and Toad spread goodwill to all they meet. The snappy, rhyming verse could easily become a participatory storytelling in any preschool or kindergarten class. The digitally created characters in the colorful illustrations are sweetly expressive. VERDICT Shaskan's message of friendship and helping each other would be a great discussion starter for any early childhood class.—Susan Small, Salve Regina University Library, Newport, RI

School Library Journal

2018-03-18
Mama and Toad and their bright red tow truck save several friends from roadside mishaps. "Mama and Toad out on the road. / Go, Mama, go! Go, little toad! / Why, who's that friend / around the bend? / Alas! Alas! / It's a… // Goat out of gas!" Mama and Toad know just what to do to get the driver of the truck labeled "Bob's Bounce Houses" back on the road. They also encounter a "Fox with a flat" and a "Moose in the muck" whose balloons and pizza (both also from Bob's) need to be delivered. Shaskan's digital illustrations have a Saturday-morning-cartoon look, with their bright, flat colors and simple backgrounds. In a nice touch, small Toad, who uses a car seat, is shown getting their hands dirty with each rescue, pouring the gas, jacking up the car, even removing the lug nuts. In the end, the toads and their friends wind up in the same place: a party thanking the two for all their help. That's a puzzler since not only do the toads encounter their friends when they are going in opposite directions on the road, but their friends were getting ready for the party before the toads had helped any of them. Plus, the rhythm of the repeated refrain rests on those reading aloud forcing the enunciation of all four syllables of "delivery."Those training to take over the family business, like Toad, may find this amusing, but others should steer clear. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews