The Hop

The pond, the mulch pile, the flowers, and the toads are my own. Every now and then I come across Tad when I’m planting bulbs or dividing lilies. He is so well camouflaged that he always startles me when he hops out of the way. Taylor’s grandmother … — The pond, the mulch pile, the flowers, and the toads are my own. Every now and then I come across Tad when I’m planting bulbs or dividing lilies. He is so well camouflaged that he always startles me when he hops out of the way. Taylor’s grandmother is also my own. Her real name was Dora, and she was a formative force in my life. The monstrous earth-eating machine, Rumbler, roams around me, giving rise to malls, apartment houses, big box stores, wider roads, and cell towers.

Starred review from Kirkus: Moranville transforms the Grimms’ classic “The Frog Prince” into a humorous environmental tale. It begins with a prophecy. Tad, a young toad, Bufo americans, has a vision during during his winter sleep, in which he sees “Rumbler” (a backhoe) burying all the residents of Toadville-by-Tumbledown. In order to save Tumbledown from becoming a mini strip mall, Tad must kiss the (human) Queen of the Hop. . . . Moranville writes about the complex world of toads and the importance of preserving wild areas with a light hand, and the happy ending, which moves several years into the future, is satisfying. An enchanting adventure.

Awards: The Nature Generation Green Earth book award; The Green Prize for Sustainable Literature from the Santa Monica Public Library (The toads and the author are very proud of the “green” awards.)

From the publisher: A small toad named Tad is in grave danger. Rumbler, a monstrous earth-eating machine, is poised to destroy his home, “Toadville-byTumbledown.” The green grass, the blue pond—everything Tad knows might disappear. It is foretold that one brave young toad can help—but at a terrible price. Only if a toad kisses a human girl will Toadville be saved. Tad is called to rise to the challenge, disgusting though it seems. In the company of his best friend Buuurk, he sets off into the unknown. Meanwhile, a girl named Taylor is determined to stop her grandmother’s pond from being turned into a strip mall. Perhaps somewhere along the way, she will cross paths with a small, brave toad. Little does she know that his quest is the same as hers.