Quirky illustrations are a perfect fit for an odd story about a girl whose pickle-toad hat bosses her around and limits how she spends her time. When the hat is stolen by a pigeon, and a replacement, which introduces her to new things is also snatched away, Carol finally realizes she has the power to make her own choices. She expresses her own ideas and learns to be confident in speaking her mind. Good discussion prompt for what may be tamping down kids in their lives, who they are following, how they have surrendered to louder voices. This may encourage the quieter, shy kids to discover their own voice.

This was such an empowering story about a young girl learning to find her voice and stop relying on her frog to control her life. This book took me along with it, and I felt engrossed in the story. It was so fun and adventurous, and I deeply loved the art style. It was so colorful and truly reflected what living in a city is like. Carol was so a precious character as well.

"Carol and the Pickle-Toad" had fun illustrations and a positive message!

This is definitely a cute kid's book. The full page illustrations were amazing (and the detail on them was incredible). Esmé Shapiro's art captured my attention from the beginning to the end of the story!

However, while this book was enjoyable, it was a little on the repetitive side at times. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn't. However, many kids will probably love this tale, and it's unique enough to provide something different to the world of children's literature. There's also a fun title: "Carol and the Pickle-Toad."

Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada / Tundra Books for this e-ARC! I really appreciated the opportunity to read this book.

Carol and the Pickle Toad is a beautifully illustrated book about a girl in the process of finding her voice.

Carol has been controlled by a bossy toad she wears for a hat. When a pigeon flies away with it, Carol finds herself at a bit of a loose end: never able to make decisions for herself when the toad was around, she hasn't learned self-efficacy. Carol attempts to construct a replacement hat out of a pickle and a hard-boiled eggs, but when a pigeon takes that hat, too, she realizes she has more of a voice than she anticipated.

This story is whimiscal and at times strange, but it's silly enough to suck kids in.

I really enjoyed this book. About a little girl who went on to find her voice. I think this is a really important topic to be addressed at a young age. It’s important for children to find their own voice. I do think the actually concept of the book was mottled down in the obscure plot and the second “toad” being silent. I think it would have been more effective if she just found her voice after her first toad was stolen and maybe felt more lost afterwards and didn’t feel the need to attach to another “toad”. OVERALL it was a super cute read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Tundra books for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This is an absolutely adorable book about a little girl finding her voice. The pictures are lovely. However, I thought the book is trying a little too hard to be quirky. This book does not rhyme which is something I personally like in children stories (Especially as I am the one reading this to my kids). I still give this four out of five stars because it is beautiful to look at, is written well, and has a great message.

Such a beautiful book about finding your voice. Lovely art throughout & it was easy to read! I think this book would be a great pick for children of all ages & would be a fantastic addition to any school library!

This book helps children understand what it means to have their own voice. They will wear many different hats in life, but they have to know who they truly are to not lose that.

I loved this title! Such a unique and adorable story and I think it would be great for nervous children who are afraid to speak up for themselves. Will definitely recommend this.

Thanks to NetGalley for an access to this ARC! "Carol and the Pickle-Toad" is a beautifully illustrated and imaginative tale, perfect for children of all ages. I enjoyed the whimsy, warmth, and humor as well as the heartfelt overall message within the main character's journey! Simply lovely!

Young Carol inexplicably has a bullying toad for a hat. When a pigeon thankfully dispatches the toad, she replaces it with a fake toad made of a hard-boiled egg and a pickle. Although this concoction is silent, Carol still hears the voices in her head. Somehow, after that self-same pigeon makes off with the pickle, Carol, again inexplicably, discovers her own voice. The end.

Children would really benefit with a how-to guide on how to discover their inner voice and how to deal with carping, constant criticism, with or without a pigeon. I would love to read that book; this isn’t it.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Tundra Books in exchange for an honest review.

A good message of how it is important to find your voice. After Carol's toad hat is too opinionated, she makes a pickle-toad hat. It gets taken from her and she must find her voice without using any hats.

Esme Shapiro's books are always something special. Her unique ability to illustrate and bring characters alive through her story-telling is something that makes her different. I adore any book that she has added her touch to.

Carol and the Pickle-Toad is no exception. In this story, Carol wears a bossy toad as her hat. Day in and day out, the bossy toad grumbles and orders her about. However, when she loses her toad hat, Carol finds now that she cannot even seem to find her own voice anymore.

Carol and the Pickle-Toad is a story revolving around Carol and her hats that comment on her life. Beginning with a loud and bossy toad before moving on to a pickle-toad that substituted a quieter version of something to live by, Carol's life is informed by others. But this changes as the story goes on.

I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did! It was cute in the beginning, and the illustrations definitely hooked me because they are beautiful. I loved the premise and the setting. But the end of the book I adored! I loved the journey of Carol finding her voice and living her life the way she wanted. I would definitely recommend this book.

What a delightful little book. I too sometimes feel as if I'm being berated by a cranial dwelling toad. Illustrations are top notch, and the story is pretty cute. Would read at a weekly storytime if only to read the frog's character in the style of Big Ang.

This is a cool concept but it missed the mark for me. It tries to be a fable about finishing your own voice but I found it a little too over the top.

This is an adorable children book, with just the right amount of absurd that makes kids laugh, a story that make them think and ask questions, and a study of bossiness vs how to express yourself in your own voice. It encourages little children to try new things, to let old ones go... The illustrations are wonderful, very personal with retro colours. There is something timeless about this book and we liked it very much with my little ones. A great success!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So cute and adorable, just seeing the cover made me want to open this book even if I'm an adult. I loved it so much, it was charming and the illustrations were so captivating, you are mesmerized by all the background with all the other characters behind.

This book captivated me because it reminded of Ali Mitgutsch's books and illustrations such as his Wimmelbilder that I love so much. The story was so original in its way to speak about such a subject as finding your own voice as a kid and not be afraid to speak up. The character Carol was so cute with her glasses and her little personality, really what is not to like about this book. It's the best book that I could gift a kid with.
I hope that the author will make other books in the same art style.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the digital advance reading copy of this book.

This was a weird and interesting book about finding your own voice. The illustrations were fun and wacky. I think kids will enjoy this wild ride.

Carol and the Pickle-Toad is a strange (in a good way) story about Carol who wears a Toad hat. The story is about self confidence and how to develop it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC.