Tadpole's Promise

MD's Saturday book reviews, given in-between trips to settle mischief-making in the back of the youth section of the library.


Today isn't a Saturday, but I've had to settle mischief in the back of the library several times today. In any case, this book review comes a day early because Saturday will be another busy day in Youth Services.

Today's book is a picture book titled:

The story book begins with caterpillar meeting tadpole. Caterpillar is immediately enamored with tadpole and tells him she loves everything about him, and that he should never, ever change. 

"I love everything about you," said the caterpillar. "Promise you will never change."
"I promise," he said.

You may think you may know where this story is headed. The story revolves around a caterpillar and a butterfly, after all. But as the tadpole grows into a frog, and as the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, what happens is perhaps a little more sinister, a little more true to real life. 

"Yes, but you are not my shiny black pearl. Goodbye."

Enveloping the dark humor of current, classic picture books, such as I Want My Hat Back, the story Tadpole's Promise is a good look into a world that we all know is not always quite fair, or quite just in its workings. Written by British author Jeanne Willis, and illustrated by the very talented Tony Ross, this is quite a funny, serious, and definitely memorable cautionary tale.

"Excuse me," she said. "Have you seen my shiny black..."

Have a great weekend, MD