Because I enjoyed Every Monday Mabel (and, to a lesser extent, Loops), I picked up Jashar Awan’s 2024 picture book Towed by Toad,
It is another good book, and it is easy to see why it was a 2025 Geisel Honor book. (The Geisel is an annual award for books for beginner readers.)
The storyline in Towed by Toad is simple, but focused: Toad drives a tow truck and, from morning on, races through his day helping people who have car trouble. As the book says, Toad helps “Big cars. Little cars. Old cars. New cars.” That list spreads over two pages, and gives a good sense of how simple the book’s language is.
Toad had raced out of the house in the morning without time for breakfast, and races away from his dad’s garage at lunch without eating. That’s how eager he is to help people. He clearly loves his job–it seems like a genuine calling–and his day goes great. Until his tow truck breaks down.
He tries to fix it, gets mad, and, finally realizes “Everybody needs help sometimes,” and calls his dad, who hauls him and his truck to safety. And finally takes a break to eat.
Several things make this book especially strong and appealing. I’ve already mentioned the simple language, but I should add that while the narrative is simple, the names are inventive and colorful: a skunk driver’s name is Skunky van der Stick, for example. The lesson about needing help is another strength: it flows naturally from the book’s events, and from the warmth with which Toad approaches his day. He clearly loves people, and, just as clearly, gets that from his dad.
In addition the images and design are first rate. The images are clean and dramatic, guiding reader attention to just where it needs to be. Toad’s father has a solidity that fits his slower movement, while Toad has more motion, energy, and expressiveness. There are many different cars to enjoy, with different bright colors and different species of drivers, many of whom are dressed in amusing attire.
My only real issue/objection here is that some of the time the book rhymes and sometimes it doesn’t, and I can’t tell why it shifts.
