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Toad #3
Toad Away
Limpy the Toad has a vision. A world where cane toads and humans play mudslides together. And help each other with the shopping. And share their slug sauce and maggot moisturizer. But how does a young cane toad discover the ancient secret of living in peace with humans? In his third adventure, Limpy will travel all the way to South America's Amazon rain forest to find out.
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2004
2 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Morris Gleitzman
120 books974 followersMorris began his writing career as a screenwriter, and wrote his first children's novel in 1985. His brilliantly comic style has endeared him to children and adults alike, and he is now one of Australia's most successful authors, both internationally and at home. He was born in England in 1953 and emigrated to Australia in 1969 so he could escape from school and become a Very Famous Writer.
Before realising that dream, he had a colourful career as paperboy, bottle-shop shelf-stacker, department store Santa Claus, frozen chicken defroster, fashion-design assistant and sugar-mill employee. In between he managed to gain a degree in Professional Writing at the Canberra College of Advanced Education. Later he became sole writer for three award-winning and top-rating seasons with the TV comedy series The Norman Gunston Show.
Morris wrote a number of feature film and telemovie screenplays, including The Other Facts of Life and Second Childhood, both produced by The Australian Children's Television Foundation. The Other Facts of Life won an AWGIE Award for the Best Original Children's Film Script.
He also wrote live stage material for people such as Rolf Harris, Pamela Stephenson and the Governor General of Australia. Morris is well known to many people through his semi-autobiographical columns in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald magazine, Good Weekend, which he wrote for nine years.
But the majority of Morris' accolades are for his hugely popular children's books. One of his most successful books for young people is Two Weeks with the Queen, an international bestseller which was also adapted into a play by Mary Morris. The play had many successful seasons in Australia and was then produced at the National Theatre in London in 1995 directed by Alan Ayckbourn, and also in South Africa, Canada, Japan and the USA.
All his other books have been shortlisted for or have won numerous children's book prizes. These include The Other Facts of Life, Second Childhood, Misery Guts, Worry Warts, Puppy Fat, Blabber Mouth, Sticky Beak, Belly Flop, Water Wings, Bumface, Gift Of The Gab, Toad Rage, Wicked! and Deadly!, two six-part novels written in collaboration with Paul Jennings, Adults Only, Toad Heaven, Boy Overboard, Teacher's Pet, Toad Away, Girl Underground, Worm Story, Once, Aristotle's Nostril, Doubting Thomas, Give Peas A Chance, Then, Toad Surprise, Grace, Now, Too Small To Fail, and his latest book, Pizza Cake. Morris' children's books have been published in the UK, the USA, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia and Czechoslovakia, Russia and China.
Before realising that dream, he had a colourful career as paperboy, bottle-shop shelf-stacker, department store Santa Claus, frozen chicken defroster, fashion-design assistant and sugar-mill employee. In between he managed to gain a degree in Professional Writing at the Canberra College of Advanced Education. Later he became sole writer for three award-winning and top-rating seasons with the TV comedy series The Norman Gunston Show.
Morris wrote a number of feature film and telemovie screenplays, including The Other Facts of Life and Second Childhood, both produced by The Australian Children's Television Foundation. The Other Facts of Life won an AWGIE Award for the Best Original Children's Film Script.
He also wrote live stage material for people such as Rolf Harris, Pamela Stephenson and the Governor General of Australia. Morris is well known to many people through his semi-autobiographical columns in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald magazine, Good Weekend, which he wrote for nine years.
But the majority of Morris' accolades are for his hugely popular children's books. One of his most successful books for young people is Two Weeks with the Queen, an international bestseller which was also adapted into a play by Mary Morris. The play had many successful seasons in Australia and was then produced at the National Theatre in London in 1995 directed by Alan Ayckbourn, and also in South Africa, Canada, Japan and the USA.
All his other books have been shortlisted for or have won numerous children's book prizes. These include The Other Facts of Life, Second Childhood, Misery Guts, Worry Warts, Puppy Fat, Blabber Mouth, Sticky Beak, Belly Flop, Water Wings, Bumface, Gift Of The Gab, Toad Rage, Wicked! and Deadly!, two six-part novels written in collaboration with Paul Jennings, Adults Only, Toad Heaven, Boy Overboard, Teacher's Pet, Toad Away, Girl Underground, Worm Story, Once, Aristotle's Nostril, Doubting Thomas, Give Peas A Chance, Then, Toad Surprise, Grace, Now, Too Small To Fail, and his latest book, Pizza Cake. Morris' children's books have been published in the UK, the USA, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia and Czechoslovakia, Russia and China.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 21, 2025
Even for a children’s story this book felt a bit too nonsensical, and not in a humorous or endearing way.
The protagonist, Limpy, was quite a judgemental jerk for all his peace and love rhetoric, and oftentimes his behaviour seemed to be dictated by what the plot needed him to do at that very moment, and not by his characterisation. Eg. When he ignored Goliath’s panic for ages on the plane, because the plot needed him to be blindsided by something he’d otherwise have seen by opening his eyes. Keeping in mind that previously (and afterwards!) he was panicking and being vigilant the whole time.
Goliath was my least favourite of the toads, not because of his military tripe, but because he was just disgusting and filthy the whole time. Urinating (on people or in their drinks), defecating, spitting, chewing, throwing up, etc. Eww! He had two personalities, grot and commando.
The sub-plot with Flatface and some of the earlier scenes saved this book from being rated any lower, but maybe I’m being too overly critical of a children’s story about frogs.
I kind of wish there were frog puns in the book, with the only frog-language phrases being “stack me” (their swear equivalent) and ‘for swamp’s sake’. Neither particularly punny.
The protagonist, Limpy, was quite a judgemental jerk for all his peace and love rhetoric, and oftentimes his behaviour seemed to be dictated by what the plot needed him to do at that very moment, and not by his characterisation. Eg. When he ignored Goliath’s panic for ages on the plane, because the plot needed him to be blindsided by something he’d otherwise have seen by opening his eyes. Keeping in mind that previously (and afterwards!) he was panicking and being vigilant the whole time.
Goliath was my least favourite of the toads, not because of his military tripe, but because he was just disgusting and filthy the whole time. Urinating (on people or in their drinks), defecating, spitting, chewing, throwing up, etc. Eww! He had two personalities, grot and commando.
The sub-plot with Flatface and some of the earlier scenes saved this book from being rated any lower, but maybe I’m being too overly critical of a children’s story about frogs.
I kind of wish there were frog puns in the book, with the only frog-language phrases being “stack me” (their swear equivalent) and ‘for swamp’s sake’. Neither particularly punny.
January 28, 2019
Such a cute read, fun and interesting as Morris Gleitzmann explores the concept of love and war, family and friendship, through this adventurous tale! Enjoyed it very much.
December 23, 2023
Wtf…Weirdest ending ever…why did they have to make them drink pee??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2015
This book is life risking sensation, its about a toad who wants to get to the other side of the road to the nice park but cars keep running over the frogs he had to find a way to get across that road. I know this may seem like not much but i enjoy so you should check it out when you can.
March 1, 2008
Funniest Book Ever!
September 19, 2008
This book is a lot of fun and is humorous. Limpy believes that Madagascar is a revolutionary place... and finds out that everyone just wants to eat each other.
November 16, 2012
Toad Away is a very amusing children's chapter book.
Want to read
April 6, 2015Chapter 15
July 4, 2014
Cute and surprising ending...
October 24, 2014
When I was younger, alongside Paul Jennings, Morris Gleitzman was an author to go to for a humorous read. The mad fun Toad Away proved this continues to be true!
April 6, 2015
Chapter 15
October 21, 2016
My 6 year old thinks these books are the funniest thing but they are definitely not my favorite.
Currently reading
May 31, 2010Dillon is currently reading this book. So far so good!
September 29, 2011
Read it in a day
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews