Tad
ISBN13
9780008212797
Review published
26/03/2019
By Reviewer
Elena
Star Rating
By Author / Illustrator
Benji Davies
Age range(s)
3+
Review
Tad, as any Benji Davies fan would expect, is an effortless, engaging read with a warm message that speaks directly to young children, this time about change and courage. Tad - the smallest of small tadpoles - watches her tadbrothers and tadsisters grow and change and, one by one, disappear. Tad is the last of the tadpoles to grow legs and lose her tail, and eventually is the only tadpole to be left behind in the pond. Tad wonders if the monster fish at the bottom of the pond, Big Blub, is behind her siblings' disappearances...then she makes a brave leap into the unknown, and a joyful discovery. This is a wonderful picture book to introduce young children to - or familiarise them with - the life cycle of a frog and, as the story really engages with the changes that tadpoles go through, it would work well alongside this topic, especially if you have tadpoles in class. The underlying messages, though, are powerful ones for young children. Tad's experiences tell them not to worry about not being the same as everyone else, and also shows that while change can seem frightening, once you embrace the changes - Tad literally leaps out from her old life into the new - life can be exciting and fun. Tad, who is small, frightened and alone, ends up discovering a world of colour and filled with frogs like her, and this change is reflected in the colours that Benji Davies uses - the muted, watery waterscapes of the first part of the book are replaced, in the final spread, by a glorious flash of colour and movement. There is lots to look out for and discuss on these pages and the large, bold illustrations and clear text and storyline make it a great picture book to share with groups. Picture book / Ages 4+ / Reviewed by Elena Byrne
