*Towed by Toad by Jashar Awan

Toad is busy helping other drivers, but sometimes the helper needs help.

Towed by Toad by Jashar Awan. Tundra, 2024. 48 pages.

• Reading Level: Picture books, ages 4-8
• Recommended For: Ages 4-8

Toad rushes out the door to rescue drivers in need. No time for breakfast, Pop! Can’t stop for lunch! He’s always happy to help other drivers in need with his handy tow truck. Whether it’s a skunk with an overheated engine, a flat tire, a collision, or worse, Toad tows them all. But even a helper needs help sometimes, and he knows who to call. 

This Geisel Award honor book is a crossover between a picture book and an easy reader. The animals driving cards are reminiscent of Go, Dog, Go! or Richard Scarry’s books, suggesting more story beyond the text. (Will the cat in the big car catch the mouse in the little car who seems nonchalant about the threat?) The font is larger, which is easier for emerging readers to decode, and sometimes rhymes. The sentences are smooth and pleasant to the ear. The delightful illustrations aren’t heavy on the page and the characters’ expressions show more than the narrative tells.

Bottom Line: This is a great book for a read-aloud, story time, or for emerging readers to practice their skills.

*indicates a starred review, the best of the best in its field

Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader

• Book Review: Slugs and Bugs Easy Readers
• Book Review: Fix This Mess by Tedd Arnold (creator of the Fly Guy series, Arnold’s books are universal crowd pleasers for the easy-reader crowd!)
• Book Review: Number One Sam by Greg Pizzoli (another fantastic picture book/easy reader)

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