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Gleitzman, Morris. Toad Rage.
Random House, 2004 [176p]
Library ed. ISBN 0-375-92762-X $16.99
Trade ed. ISBN 0-375-82762-X $14.95
Reviewed from galleys
Gr. 4-6
Reviewers of children's literature encounter animal points of view with great
regularity; it seems certain critters, most notably of the domestic variety,
frequently have the opportunity to share their perspective on the world. Just
two months previously, the Big Picture showcased a yellow Lab's take on neighborhood
life (I, Jack, BCCB 4/04), and countless cat books appear every season,
offering a feline-focused worldview. In the latest comic entry from Australian
author Morris Gleitzman (author of Puppy Fat, BCCB 7/96, Worry Warts,
4/93, among others), readers have the opportunity to hear from the most unlikely
of creatures-the dreaded cane toad. Our protagonist, a young cane toad called
Limpy, sets out into the world in search of an answer to that all-important
question-why do humans hate cane toads? While the explanation may be obvious
to the reader (it may be their offputting appearance, that venomous secretion
directed at potential threats, the fact that they're a damaging invader species,
or a combination of all three), poor Limpy is determined to understand and reverse
this age-old revulsion if only given an opportunity to represent all that is
good about his kind.
Limpy's quest is prompted by the fact that his relatives are getting killed
left and right; flying insects (necessary for a balanced cane-toad diet) tend
to hang out around highway lights, and speeding vehicles flatten cane toads
every day ("'Oh no, Limpy,' said Mum in exasperation. 'You haven't brought
home another dead relative'"). Limpy, who fears especially for his slow-moving
younger sister "who'd stayed small because of pollution," appoints
himself to leave rural Queensland and figure out why humans seem to target his
species. After a brief run-in with some vacationers at a gas station (where
Limpy attempts to disguise himself as a tropical butterfly with a pair of pilfered
underpants), Limpy hitches a ride to the Olympic Games in Sydney. His plan?
To join the ranks of the platypus, echidna, and kookaburra and become a Games
mascot, thereby earning the affection of humans and saving his species from
pending destruction.
The challenge of winning over the humans proves an enormous task-as explained
by a rather blunt mosquito, humans find cane toads "even uglier and more
revolting . . . than hairy spiders and smelly dung beetles and those slugs that
sleep in their own snot." Unable to understand English, Limpy is constantly
speculating, occasionally to grievous but snicker-worthy error, on human conversations
that he overhears without comprehending. In an intriguing play on perspective,
the reader, who can understand these dialogues, is often a step ahead of Limpy,
making the toad take all the funnier. The real charm lies in the curious juxtaposition
of Limpy's tragic plight and Gleitzman's hysterically funny narration; Limpy's
seriousness and sense of duty perfectly contrast with the helplessly humorous
tone of his chronicle. Limpy's lucky escapes from countless dangers--he's attacked
by rats, teenagers, and a toddler, to name just a few--are at the same time
riveting and funny, and the clever dialogue places the reader firmly in the
skin of an endangered cane toad out to change the world. The pace of the adventure
keeps readers along for the ride, and the many details strewn throughout the
story come together to great effect in the conclusion, where a stroke of symbiotic
luck results in Limpy's clearing the name of a beloved national athlete accused
of steroid use and thereby winning a fair dose of human appreciation.
This highly accessible comedy would make a laugh-out-loud readaloud as well
as an enticing read for the reluctant set; this little cane toad is an oddly
lovable protagonist, and the lessons in courage and bravery woven throughout
the story make this both an amusing and empowering tale for young people. Readers
or listeners alike are certain to cheer for our hero's success in helping humans
see that beauty is only as deep as one's skin--whether warty or not.
Hope Morrison, Reviewer
Cover illustration by Rod Clement from Toad Rage ©2004. Used by
permission of Random House Children's Books.
This page was last updated on June 1, 2004.