posted on 04 Aug 2024

Natterjack Toad Can’t Believe It! by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Kathryn Durst

Some picture books are made to be read out loud and this is a great example. The simple, repetitive story builds with plenty of opportunities for joining in by enthralled children. The colourful illustrations showing a range of friendly but very hungry creatures add to the exuberant atmosphere.

I recently shared the book with a group of four-year-olds who tried to guess why the Toad on the cover looked so alarmed - could it be something to do with the Mole and the Mouse who looked merely worried? And why wasn’t he sharing what looked like an enormous cookie? We all identified with Natterjack Toad’s passion for what sounded like a delicious chocolate snack.

The anticipation built in a four picture sequence as he took the packet out of his picnic basket and prepared to bite, but one child who, clearly well versed in picture book conventions shouted out ‘something might stop him!’ Sure enough he is thwarted by ‘a lanky, great big heron with a jabbing beak’ and had to quickly hide them away. The moment of jeopardy had passed and we enjoyed watching him relishing the sunshine as he relaxed in the warm meadow, one hand kept carefully on the lid of the basket.

We soon got into the familiar rhythm of the story as he tried again and again to munch a cookie and was rudely interrupted by ‘frisky-whiskered weasel’, ‘a hurrying, scurrying, worried little mole’, ‘a sniffling, snuffling, scared-looking vole’, and ‘a huge and hungry forest hog.’

We wondered if he was ever going to get to eat one but also talked about how he was a bit greedy and could perhaps think about sharing the packet.

I strongly recommend this funny picture book with plentiful bold illustrations and evocative language. I look forward to sharing it with more young children who I am sure will be equally engrossed with the story, talk about and perhaps create their own scrumptious snacks and be inspired to create their own pictures of the vivid animal characters. 

Available now from Walker Books, you will be able to get a copy from your local independent bookshop - who will of course be happy to order you one if they don’t already have it on their shelves.

 

Karen Argent

August 2024