Commander Toad and the Big Black Hole

Commander Toad #3

by Jane Yolen, Bruce Degen (Illustrator)

"A funny space adventure that spoofs  Star Wars  while providing an easy-to-read story." — Booklist

Commander Toad and his crew on the Star Warts come across a black hole while leapfrogging across the galaxy. Something long, pink, and sticky grabs their spaceship and it isn't space gum--it's the tongue of an E. T. T - an Extra Terrestrial Toad! When all else fails, Commander Toad has to resort to a secret weapon from his past to save the ship from toad-al destruction.

Fans of  DK LEGO Star Wars,  Tom Angleberger's  Origami Yoda,  and silliness will toad-ally love Commander Toad!

Genres: Childrens, Science Fiction, Picture Books, Fantasy, Kids, Humor, Fiction

64 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 1983

About the author

Jane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is basically Frog and Toad mixed with Star wars, and it's pretty cute. I would have loved this as a little kid.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the 1980s, Jane Yolen wrote a series of early reader science fiction / humor books involving Commander Toad and the crew of the Star Warts. At our last trip to the library we checked out three of these books for Sean to read on our trip down to Santa Barbara.

The first of these that we read is Commander Toad and the Big Black Hole and I think it's our favorite because it has some good gross-out humor and a parody of Home on the Range which requires really poor singing. The inclusion of long tongues, off key singing and food being splattered makes for two laughing kids when we read the book out loud.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

With many Star Wars and other space related puns, this book was a hit with my boys but I found it difficult to smoothly read aloud, stilted, and not funny at all. I can recommend this as an early reader book but I suggest skipping it if you are reading it aloud to children who are not able to read the entire thing themselves. Any book which encourages an interest in reading is wonderful in my opinion but I see no reason why a children's book can not be enjoyable for the adult reading the book as well as for the child listening and learning.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Acceptably entertaining Commander Toad book that seemed to keep the kids happy. Not really anything to write home about, but it made me happy in that a terrible singing voice was necessary for this one, and boy, have I got that in spades! I think I liked this Commander Toad book better than the kids did. I'm not sure if they we less enthused about this one due to the story, or due to the fact that parts of it required their tone-deaf aunt to sing....

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Photo of this version, for what it's worth:



This is a cute story that feels like Frog and Toad... IN SPACE!, though I'm not 100% certain if that was the intent. It sure comes across as that, but possibly just because frogs and toads really only come in so many colours (until you get to the poisonous ones).

I mean, I'm not kidding about "Frog and Toad... IN SPACE!" It genuinely feels like taking the classic characters just went for a space walk. It's fun in much the same way as Frog and Toad, with a few more frog and toad characters (I don't remember ever seeing other frogs or toads in Frog and Toad, other than MAYBE one of their mothers, but it's been a while). The story isn't exactly Neil deGrasse Tyson-approved, but I wouldn't expect a book aimed at younger readers to necessarily go to the lengths that, say, The Martian did to be as scientifically plausible as possible.

Overall, a fun story about space travel, holes, and (badly) singing! Recommended for fans of SPACE! (the "fun" version, not the cold vacuum version)

[Carolyn Wilhelm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely a humorous easy reader, so it is a great choice for reluctant readers. This animal fantasy story is about frogs and toads in space finding a black hole that turns out to be a mouth. They become stuck on the sticky, pink tongue. Hilarious, right? Well, sometimes we have to encourage children to want to read.  The humor is for some children and not others.  The ship is named the Star Warts.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Commander Toad books have been some of my kids' favorites since they were about six years old. We read these over and over (and over) for several years! Love them! They tickle our funny bone(s).

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to read this aloud to my nieces and nephews. I think they would love these books. The song in this one particularly lends itself to a read aloud I think.

[WinterBat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous read for kids

[Greta Uhde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had me hopping for more. Great characters! Very punny and funny!

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearing off the shelves. I'm a big fan of Jane Yolen but have only read her fantasy & fairy tale works. My oldest son read through this series when he was young though and liked it. This is my first read and I enjoyed it. It's rather like "Frog and Toad" in Space and is a bit of a parody of Star Wars. A simple enough easy reader recommended for ages 7+ this is the third book in the series and has the crew off in space investigating a black hole. They also have an argument about whether Toads or only Frogs can sing. The black hole turns out to be something much more dangerous and bad singing saves the day. Fun. The illustrations are wonderful. I just love them. Bruce Degen is most known for illustrating the Magic School Bus books but I'm partial to his own book Jamberry. A nice easy reader from a classic author/illustrator team.

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The crew of the Star Warts is exploring a new part of space when they see a black hole off in the distance. While it makes them reminisce of the holes they grew up in, they suddenly find their ship stuck on something. What is it? Can they break free?

This alternative take on black holes is a lot of fun, although I do feel the book started a bit slowly. Still, the pictures are great, the puns are present, and the ending provides a great moral that everyone can learn from – don’t sing with your mouth full!

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Sunnyvale Librarian]

Commander Toad, brave and bright, bright and brave! His ship the Star Warts is carrying him and his crew, Lieutenant Lily, Mr. Hop, Jack Skyjumper and Doc Peeper on exciting outer space missions. And they've run into a Big Black Hole with a big pink Thing coming out of it. What is it? Space bubble gum? No, something scarier than that! But once Doc Peeper recognizes what it is, Commander Toad figures out how to save his crew and the Star Warts.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poor Commander Toad has not aged well. What was fresh, funny, timely satire in 1983 is stilted and old fashioned today. It pains me to give Yolen anything less than 4 stars, but I think this one is going to be relegated to my list of childhood things I won't revisit too closely with the little one.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for beginning readers who like "Star Trek".

[Anjali Derhgawen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a good book for young kids. It would be extremely suspenseful and funny for them. The moral was to appreciate everything that you have.

[June Pecchia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure silliness... spoof on Star Trek, Star Wars, etc.

[Barb Simpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really my interest in kids books, but kept my 6 year old entertained & giggling as he read it himself! The main theme to appreciate what you have was worthy :)