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McToad Mows Tiny Island
McToad likes Thursdays. Why? Because on every other day of the week, McToad mows Big Island, but on Thursdays, McToad mows Tiny Island. To do so, he puts his mower on the back of a truck, which drives to a train, which goes to a helicopter, which flies to a boat, which uses a crane to put the lawn mower onto Tiny Island. There McToad mows and drinks some lemonade, and before you know it, it’s time to turn around and go back home. But first, the mower has to get lifted by a crane, to get put back on a boat, which is lifted by a helicopter, and . . . well . . . you get the idea.
From master storyteller Tom Angleberger and celebrated illustrator John Hendrix comes this playful narrative that treasures the journey over the destination, with lots of planes, trains, and automobiles to boot.
Also available by John Miracle Man
From master storyteller Tom Angleberger and celebrated illustrator John Hendrix comes this playful narrative that treasures the journey over the destination, with lots of planes, trains, and automobiles to boot.
Also available by John Miracle Man
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2015
145 people want to read
About the author
Tom Angleberger
78Ìýbooks781ÌýfollowersTom Angleberger artist-turned-writer. He is a columnist for the Roanoke Times in Roanoke, Virginia, and began work on his first book while in middle school. Tom is married to author-illustrator Cece Bell. He lives in Christianburg, Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
May 30, 2015
This book is completely absurd, utterly wonderful, and absolute genius. It holds up to multiple re-readings, features great illustrations filled with clever details, and it will appeal to a wide range of ages! It works as a transportation book for preschoolers and also an ridiculously fun read-aloud for elementary-age kids about a toad (who appears to be the sole inhabitant of his island) who operates a lot of businesses, pilots of a lot of vehicles, and has one very satisfying job. HILARIOUS and memorable! Caldecott committee, take note!
September 15, 2017
It's simple enough. McToad's favorite day is Thursday, when he gets to mow Tiny Island. But it's everything that leads up to mowing Tiny Island that's fun.
The illustrations were nice, but my favorite part was when the book backtracked McToad's steps.
The illustrations were nice, but my favorite part was when the book backtracked McToad's steps.
June 1, 2020
Hilarious! What a great idea for a book about various forms of transportation! It looks like it takes McToad longer to get to the island than to mow the tiny island! The story is funny; the toad is multi-talented; and the illustrations are a hoot. There is an origami Yoda and origami Jabba the Hut in his house. He has fuzzy dice and a hula frog in his truck. And since every mode of transportation he uses has a big "McToad" on the side, I assume he owns all the transportation that he uses. I love this book! Wonderful acrylic paintings and the illustrator uses different fonts in different sizes to great effect. Which is probably why all of the "best book of 2015" lists I have seen so far have ignored it.
October 21, 2015
Everyone has something that brings them satisfaction. McToad savors the process of mowing Tiny Island with it's complicated ritual involving forklifts, helicopters, boats, and trains. Maybe it's the act of completion, or the glass of lemonade when he's done, I can't really pinpoint what makes it for him.
What will draw young readers is the inclusion of the various modes of transportation and parents will appreciate the book's fresh design.
p.s. Can you spot Origami Yoda?
What will draw young readers is the inclusion of the various modes of transportation and parents will appreciate the book's fresh design.
p.s. Can you spot Origami Yoda?
January 27, 2016
McToad usually mows and mows the grass on Big Island - except on Thursdays when he mows Tiny Island. It takes every form of transportation known to Toad-dom to get the riding mower from Big Island to Tiny Island. This is the book for your transportation maven. Quite funny, really, although a bit hard on my eyeballs with the fancy fonts.
March 23, 2016
Here's a book that I think my sons would have loved when they were small. The idea of taking all these different types of transportation just to mow one tiny island is delightful and made me smile a little. This is one dedicated toad, intent on doing his job well!
Highly recommended for reading to children that love trains and boats and planes and the like. :)
Highly recommended for reading to children that love trains and boats and planes and the like. :)
October 27, 2015
A silly transportation story that will hold up well in storytime. Mr. toad uses a variety of vehicles to get his mower to tiny island once a week so he can mow it. It's a lot of effort for a...well, tiny job but Mr Toad enjoys it. The I,lustration share detailed and fun. A Caldecott possibility?
April 19, 2016
Humorous story with machinery and sequential elements. I imagine little boys will love the use of cranes, mowers, boats, trucks. Well-written to engage little minds. Twist ending. Not my personal taste.
August 6, 2016
5* art
5* story
Squirt loves lawnmowers. Any book with a lawnmower is going to be a favorite. But this one is quite funny. McToad goes to great lengths for one particular lawn - such a fun way to introduce a lot of transportation into a story.
5* story
Squirt loves lawnmowers. Any book with a lawnmower is going to be a favorite. But this one is quite funny. McToad goes to great lengths for one particular lawn - such a fun way to introduce a lot of transportation into a story.
September 6, 2015
I love the Origami Yoda series so had to read this, the author’s first picture book. It is completely absurd and ridiculous and I think kids will love it!
September 16, 2015
A bit tedious with all the modes of transportation, but fun pictures.
September 22, 2015
The hit of storytime this week. So funny and charming. Irresistible to any boy who is obsessed with things that GO or in this case MOW. {miss kitty}
June 29, 2016
Made me giggle!
July 27, 2018
The ultimate transportation book.
July 25, 2019
As a jaded adult, all I could think was how much damage the toad was doing to the environment for a completely unnecessary task.
July 1, 2017
This book is a real treat. The main story is hilarious - a human-sized toad mows the grass on two islands (already funny); they mow Big Island most of the week, and Tiny Island on Thursdays. Why does it take all day to mow tiny island? Well, McToad has to get there first!
This book has great illustrations with clever and thorough details, including key words displayed in large, fun lettering to help little ones with spelling. The storytelling is spot on, with a gradual progression toward the climax, and then a rapid-fire unspooling of the first half of the story at the end. Throughout, we are presented with a fascinating lineup of vehicles to examine, many which your child will recognize, and many they may not. A great reading experience!
This book has great illustrations with clever and thorough details, including key words displayed in large, fun lettering to help little ones with spelling. The storytelling is spot on, with a gradual progression toward the climax, and then a rapid-fire unspooling of the first half of the story at the end. Throughout, we are presented with a fascinating lineup of vehicles to examine, many which your child will recognize, and many they may not. A great reading experience!
January 5, 2019
McToad usually mows the big island. But every Thursday he and his mower make the journey to mow Tiny Island using many different modes of transportation.
This is low on plot but high on colorful illustrations and methods of transportation. The route McToad takes is not very logical, but the point is obviously the variety of transportation methods of which there are many (and several that frequently get left out of transportation books). Recommended for those little readers who are fascinated by every form of transportation imaginable and might also be good for kids learning to read flow charts (there's a nice one towards the end outlining McToad's return journey).
This is low on plot but high on colorful illustrations and methods of transportation. The route McToad takes is not very logical, but the point is obviously the variety of transportation methods of which there are many (and several that frequently get left out of transportation books). Recommended for those little readers who are fascinated by every form of transportation imaginable and might also be good for kids learning to read flow charts (there's a nice one towards the end outlining McToad's return journey).
January 3, 2019
A toad is responsible for mowing a tiny island, but getting there takes more time and preparation than the actual lawn care!
This is meant for the mechanically obsessed kids; the ones who see a plane and are glued to the window, or get excited on trash day so they can see the garbage truck. Which is not me. Though the different modes of transportation, and their usefulness for getting things places is shown, I'm over here thinking "And why doesn't the railroad go straight to the docks?"
No content issues.
July 11, 2021
Great story with a mower, very popular with my nephew, as well as planes, trains, trucks, boats and more. Story of McToad's transit to and from mowing Tiny Island on Thursdays. Phenomenal story, great length - fits the audience's attention span, popular with 1-3yr olds and likely a little older... and one of the only books we've ever been able to find that includes mowing the grass, which makes it a favorite.
Hardcover with a slipcover that we've had to remove to protect it from harm, but great book and highly recommend for a child. Would also make a great gift.
Hardcover with a slipcover that we've had to remove to protect it from harm, but great book and highly recommend for a child. Would also make a great gift.
August 19, 2021
a fun story about McToad Lawn Service and the amount of effort McToad goes through to mow Tiny Island. As I read, all I could think of was the environmental impact of getting the mower to the island and back...perhaps the tiny island should be left to be a native garden and enjoyed by all creatures in a more natural habitat versus grass that needs attention. I might be overthinking this children's book...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2017
This is a super fun tale of a toad who must take his lawnmower from the big island to the tiny island so he can mow it. In order to do so, he has to make use of all sorts of vehicles - from trains to helicopters - to get it over to the tiny island. He does this every Thursday, so Thursdays are his favorite. :)
Illustrations are great!
Illustrations are great!
July 30, 2018
My preschooler loved all the vehicles used to transport the lawnmower to Tiny Island; I loved the absurdity of all the vehicles used to transport the lawnmower to Tiny Island.
If you like ridiculous but clever picture books, this one is for you. We read it dozens of times and I never tired of it.
If you like ridiculous but clever picture books, this one is for you. We read it dozens of times and I never tired of it.
November 28, 2017
McToad mows Big Island and on Thursday he travels to Tiny Island. A funny story about getting a lawnmower from A to B with a variety of vehicles.
2017 storytime theme: Transportation
Reviewed from a library copy.
2017 storytime theme: Transportation
Reviewed from a library copy.
August 24, 2018
I'm not usually into the transportation theme, but this book has amazing, vibrant illustrations, excellent vocabulary, and a good lesson on sequence. This book will most definitely appeal to those who particularly enjoy things that go!
November 5, 2019
A quick, lively read that takes you (and a lawn mower) through various types of transportation. Illustrations and inventive text design add humor and style. Perfect for story time. Highly recommended for ages 3-5.
August 1, 2023
This book was short and sweet, but it was highly informative and chock full of transportation terminology. It had amazing colors and illustrations, and really broke down the steps in a very thorough way.
December 16, 2024
The illustrations are what make everything work in this story. I loved how the words for each mode of transportation made you think of what they were representing, and the tiny island being SO tiny was hilarious.
March 5, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this to my 5-year old son and he loved it too. Delightfully silly for me, and a fine array of vehicles for him.
March 12, 2017
I actually thought that this book was cute. It wasn't just "here are all the trucks." It had a story to go with it so that kids could follow how all the trucks went together.
May 10, 2017
Great sequencing mentor text.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
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