Tad and Dad

April 1, 2015
A tadpole and his father spend their days together amicably, but when Dad tries to tuck his son in for the night, things do not go as planned. Young Tad always joins Dad on his lily pad at night. At first Tad is so small that his father can adapt to his constant companion. But as Tad grows powerful legs and develops a loud singing voice to match his large mouth, Dad has had enough: "When you jump in my bed, I can't sleep because you're always wiggling and poking, kicking and croaking!" Narrator Tad is surprised at Dad's reaction but is ready to swim away from his father for the first time. (Dad snores.) An uncommon commotion brings Tad back to discover that maybe Dad would like some company after all. Stein's marker, crayon, and watercolor illustrations feature watery greens and browns. The rounded shapes of the frogs' bodies, their glowing yellow eyes, and their broad, pink mouths pop, contrasting against the dark hues of the pond and the bright white and pale blue of the sky. Parents faced with a child who has trouble staying in his or her own bed will relate to Dad's exasperation and chuckle at Tad's persistence. Kids will enjoy Tad's enthusiasm and obvious adoration of his father. Caldecott honoree Stein makes another splash with this charming duo. (Picture book. 3-6)

March 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-Little tadpole worships his impressive frog father and wants to be a great swimmer, jumper, singer, and voracious bug consumer just like him. Unwilling to be apart from his dad, Tad follows him everywhere, including his lily pad bed. The wriggly, noisy youngster keeps his poor parent up each night until sleep-deprived Dad kicks him out, only to find out that perhaps cuddly company was better all along. Stein's cartoonish illustrations are comically expressive, deftly conveying the energy of the wee frog and the exasperation of his dad with thick black strokes filled with swampy watercolor washes in mixed layouts ranging from spreads to cleverly focused vignettes. Children will laugh at Tad's antics while parents will sympathize with father frog's disturbed sleep. VERDICT A wonderful bedtime or froggy-themed storytime read.-Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2015
Preschool-G Dad is a lovable frog with big, buggy eyes, strong legs, and a huge mouth, and little Tad follows him everywhere. When tucked into his underwater bed, Tad rebels and climbs right out, preferring to sleep next to Dad on his lily pad. Disturbing nights ensue, as the boisterous tadpole tickles and splashes, wiggles, kicks, and pokes. Soon Tad learns to hop and sing and extend his sticky tongue to catch bugs and beds down on his own. Now Dad can't sleep and screams, Frog-Gone-It! Shamefaced, he admits that he needs the company of his child to help him go to sleep. Stein has produced a humorous treatment of a common bedtime problem. Brilliant watercolors accented with crayon zing with energy in splashy two-page spreads. The green amphibian's round pink mouth humorously BUURRPPs with noise. Dad's comical face expresses gloom, dismay, and pride over Tad's antics. Parents will recognize the bleary-eyed adult's eyes when he says, Is it morning already? (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

May 1, 2015
Poor Dad. Poor Tad. Neither frog is getting any sleep in his (lily)pad. Tad loves his dad so much that he can hardly bear to be away from him, even at night. Whether Tad is a wiggling tadpole, swimming everywhere with his dad, or a jumping frog with legs, he doesn't want to sleep alone. Why are you in my bed?' said Dad. So you won't miss me, ' I said. Parents everywhere, especially those with night-wandering, bed-sharing toddlers, will laugh with grim identification when Tad starts to swim and grow and jump and catch his own breakfast, just like Dad, but still crowds onto Dad's lilypad at bedtime. And, when night comes and the growing froglet dreams and practices his new skills in his sleep ( So that's what was kicking me ), little ones will chuckle at Tad's enthusiasm and Dad's growing exhaustion. Relaxed circular and rectangular frames signal Dad's more mature bearing, while Tad's energy is uncontained, often filling the whole spread. Stein uses color to great effect to show the lap-listener that this little gem is both a celebration of the father-child relationship and a good-night book. See Tad and Dad snoring together on the last page? The world is blue and black, lit only by the moon. 'Night, Tad. 'Night, Dad. Like every good go-to-sleep book, this one will hold up to many repeat readings. robin smith

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2015
Tadpole Tad loves his dad so much, he can hardly bear to be away from him. Crowding onto Dad's lily pad at bedtime, the growing froglet practices new skills in his sleep ("So that's what was kicking me..."). Little ones will chuckle at Tad's enthusiasm and Dad's growing exhaustion. Relaxed frames signal Dad's more mature bearing, while Tad's energy is uncontained.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)