I love the photos of toads as they move from tadpole to fully grown toad, eventually laying eggs of their own. Be warned: there is a photo of a male frog on top of a female one during reproduction, so if your family isn't ready to have that discussion, skip this one!

Independent Reading Level: Grade 1-3
Awards: Gryphon Award ( )

reading level: Grade 4

The Hidden Life of a Toad by Doug Wechsler is a non-fiction information book. The book describes the life of a toad from day 1 being an egg to 1099 days later. After 1099 days, a new cycle of life begins from eggs to being toads. The photographs for the life cycle of a toad are excellent. This book is a 2019 Nutmeg Book Award Elementary Nominee. This book would be wonderful for nursery school and elementary school who want to learn more about toads and their life cycle.

I've bought some of Doug Wechsler's other books about nature, but this one really grabbed my attention.

First, it's about toads. There aren't a lot of nonfiction books about toads! Second, it's a detailed, careful look at their life cycle. Third, it's perfect for an elementary audience.

Close-up photos show the transformation of tadpoles to toads, with pictures so clear and real that you can see the formation of their tiny limbs under the skin! The photos cover three quarters of the page with a light blue background picking out the simple text. The text is organized by days, starting with strings of eggs on day 1 and ending with day 1099 after the adult female has mated and laid her eggs - and a new day 1 begins.

There is copious back matter, including a glossary with photos, an explanation of the difference between toads and frogs, additional facts about toads, and a section on helping toads survive in the wild. There's also an author's note from Wechsler about how he took the photographs and a bibliography of books and websites.

Verdict: This is a great nonfiction book for a classroom or individual child interested in toads. It would also make a good choice for a book club for younger readers. The writing is excellent and the photos are superlative. Recommended.

ISBN: 978150897389; Published 2017 by Charlesbridge; Purchased for the library