Tad

As a fan of Benji Davies' work, I was really excited to receive this to read. Thankfully, it did not disappoint. Tad is the smallest tadpole in the pond. She is so small that she has to wriggle her tail twice as fast as her brothers and sisters just to keep up with them. The 'almost frogs' are more than happy with life in the pond - as long as they avoid the darker depths at the bottom. This is because of Big Blub. Big Blub was as old as the mud and would wait until the sun went in before gliding out of his hiding place to snack on unexpected tadpoles. Despite the stories, Tad decides that she does not believe in Big Blub - but still takes every action to avoid any chance run ins with him! Day by day, the tadpoles grow and begin to change - although Tad remains left behind in his growth. As well as changing physically, Tad begins to notice that the number of tadpoles is changing too....but not in a good way. His brothers and sisters seem to be disappearing at an alarming rate.....could do it be the mysterious Big Blub? Tad is a vibrant and heartwarming story about the big steps we take, no matter how small we are. Benji Davies has created a beautiful story which he has supported with glorious illustrations that certainly fit into his recognisable style. I really enjoyed reading this to my KS1 class and we were all surprised by the ending. It would work perfectly as a supportive text around the teaching of 'changes over time' or 'life cycles' and I found myself wanting to go out to the school pond instantly to find our very own Tad to watch grow. I will be sharing this text with all my colleagues who work in EYFS and KS1. Picture book / Ages 4+ / Reviewed by Kyle Matravers, teacher.

Suggested Reading Age 3+

Tad is a story about a tadpole growing up. It's set in a pond where Tad is worried about the Big Blub that lurks at the bottom in the dark waters. She worries about where all her other tadpole friends are going and what happens to them. The illustrations are beautiful and really add to the story. Overall, this is a very colourful book that will surely appeal to lots of young children. This is a sweet story that would be lovely to share with young children around 5-7, and links into understanding the life cycle of a frog and how tadpoles develop into frogs. Picture book / Ages 4+ / Reviewed by Hannah Berry

Suggested Reading Age 5+