SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Pearl's & Ruby's
  • Politics in Practice
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

July 22, 2015 by Travis Jonker

Review: McToad Mows Tiny Island by Tom Angleberger

July 22, 2015 by Travis Jonker   Leave a Comment

McToad

McToad Mows Tiny Island
By Tom Angleberger
Illustrated by John Hendrix

ABRAMS

ISBN: 9781419716508
$16.95
Grades K-2
Out September 1, 2015

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

*Best New Book*

Find it at:
Schuler Books | Your Library

McToad likes Thursdays.

Every other day of the week he mows the grass on Big Island.

But Thursday is the day he mows Tiny Island.

In those three lines, you basically get the story. It’s Thursday. Time to mow Tiny Island. But as the cover calls this “A Transportation Tale”, we soon see that it’s all about the journey. McToad loads his shuddering, smoke-spewing rider onto a truck, then a train, then an airplane, then baggage buggy, helicopter, and boat before touching down on (man, were they not kidding) Tiny Island via crane. This all leads to a glorious anti-climax: two passes and the job is done. Time to call it a day. Where’s the crane?

McToad 1

McToad’s sense of duty is admirable. This guy loves his mower, doting over it with old-fashined oil can and “nice, clean cloth”. He keeps meticulous records:

The case cover for McToad Mows Tiny Island
The case cover for McToad Mows Tiny Island

He is completely dedicated to a job that appears to have no purpose other than providing a feeling of accomplishment. Or perhaps there is no higher purpose than that? His work is his joy. I fully expect McToad’s next move to be a Nick Offerman-esque meditation on the human condition called The Tao of Mowing: An Amphibian Finds Joy Among Leaves of Grass. We should all strive to reach McToad’s level of grinning, “ain’t this great?” enlightenment.

McToad 2

The story is delightfully absurd, but it also lends itself to closer examination. Why is there no other living soul in McToad’s world (save for a flock of birds who happen to be passing above Big Island)? Does he own these islands? Is he rich? He must own these islands. How did he acquire his fortune? Landscaping mogul? Inheritance? Why does he bother mowing? I’ve never seen a toad interested in such things. And why is he so into corporate branding? There’s a McToad logo on everything. I’m excited to read this with kids, because they’ll have the answers.

McToad 3

Hendrix doesn’t do humor all that often, but man is his style well suited for it. His islands are awash in warm yellows and reds, countered by the verdant green of the fastidiously maintained lawns that spill over everything. His jangly line has always struck a balance between the real and surreal, and here provides the perfect amount of cozy imperfection for this ridiculous tale. A patched straw hat, slightly frayed curtains, a wood-bead truck seat cover  – this is a world that is not just created, but lived in. Hendrix’s illustrations feel familiar – and we always laugh more when we’re comfortable.

Review copy from the publisher.

Filed under: *Best New Books*, Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
Abrams

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

A Fuse #8 Production

Myrick Marketing Publishing Preview of nubeOcho and Pajama Press (Summer/Fall 2025 & Winter 2026)(Part Three)

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Papercutz to Publish Steampunk Adventure Story | News

by Brigid Alverson

Heavy Medal

Heavy Medal Suggestions: 73 Titles and Counting

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Politics in Practice

When Book Bans are a Form of Discrimination, What is the Path to Justice?

by John Chrastka

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Worlds on Fire: Can Hope Spark Healing? Books about wildfire, the changing climate, and the courage to make a difference, a guest post by Chris Baron

by Amanda MacGregor

The Yarn

How Colby Sharp Celebrates Reading with Students

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Best Young Adult Books 2024 | SLJ Best Books

Best Picture Books 2024 | SLJ Best Books

Best Nonfiction Elementary 2024 | SLJ Best Books

SLJ’s 2024 Best Books Cover Unveiled. Download a PDF of the Full List.

Best Nonfiction Middle to High School 2024 | SLJ Best Books

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books 2024
    • 2024 Stars So Far
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Pearls & Rubys
    • Politics in Practice
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • Reasons to Love Libraries
    • 2025 Youth Media Awards
    • Defending the Canon:SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics
    • Refreshing the Canon Booklist
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Read Free Poster
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2025


    COPYRIGHT © 2025