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A Little Pigeon Toad

(1990, Non-Fiction - Words, Written by Fred Gwynne, Illustrated by Fred Gwynne)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 0, age appropriate for kids over 4; suggested age 4.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Tongue-in-cheek tale might misjudge its audience.

updated 07.04.08

Why We Rated This on for Ages 4 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Not an issue.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness :

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About A Little Pigeon Toad

Parents need to know that there's nothing here to worry about. The artwork is squarely aimed at the funny bone, and the simple text is easy to digest. But it lacks any zest or poetry that might have amplified the pleasures of the figures of speech and homonyms it features.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the meaning and origins of a silly-sounding phrase like "pigeon toed" (which, to the human ear, sounds just like the "pigeon toad" mentioned in the book's title). Parents can also explain that these words and phrases are called homonyms and idioms, and can talk about the differences between the two concepts. Are there any homonyms you can think of that aren't mentioned in the book? What about idioms? Which illustration was your favorite? Why?
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