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In Toad Rage by Morris Gleitzman, Limpy is an Australian cane toad who has lived with his parents and his stunted sister Charm ever since his leg was run over by a car. Limpy is getting tired of collecting the dead bodies of his hundreds of relatives who are flattened on the highway on a regular basis and wants to know why the humans hate the cane toads so much. Not happy with his parents’ answers and worried that his parents or Charm may be the next road casualties, Limpy decides to make it his quest to find out why humans hate them and how he can change their minds.
Limpy begins a journey with his large but stupid cousin Goliath that eventually takes them to the Olympic games. Limpy thinks that if he can get the cane toad as a mascot for the games, everyone will love him and his family. Will Limpy be able to prove to the humans that cane toads are lovable? Or will he and Goliath end up flattened on the roadway along with their relatives?
Limpy is a lovable little character, and young readers will find it easy to root for him as he tries to prove to humans that they should not hate him. Although there are a few instances where other cane toads are killed, it should not be upsetting for older children because the scenes are written with wit and humor. As well as being a cute story, Toad Rage helps children learn about the food chain and why each living thing has a place in our world. Children will also learn more about Australia, including new vocabulary words that are defined in the back of the book.
If kids like Toad Rage (and they almost certainly will), they’ll be happy to know that Gleitzman has come out with a sequel, Toad Heaven, that should be just as charming. Recommended for children who like animals (especially toads, reptiles or bugs) and those who enjoy adventure stories.
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Toad Rage