Grasshopper on the Road

Written by Arnold Lobel

Narrated by Mark Linn-Baker

From Arnold Lobel, the beloved author and illustrator of the Newbery Honor and Caldecott Honor award-winning Frog and Toad books, comes a sweet, timely twist on a classic fable.

One morning Grasshopper finds a lovely road to follow. Off he goes on his journey, past plenty of busy characters. They wonder why Grasshopper isn’t as busy as they are. But Grasshopper—well, he is happy just walking down the road.

Arnold Lobel's beloved Level 2 I Can Read classic was created for kids who read on their own but still need a little help.

The classic Frog and Toad stories by Arnold Lobel have won numerous awards and honors, including a Newbery Honor, a Caldecott Honor, ALA Notable Children’s Book, Fanfare Honor List (Horn Book), School Library Journal Best Children’s Book, and Library of Congress Children’s Book.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 20, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061901591

Arnold Lobel

Arnold Lobel (1933–1987) illustrated many wonderful children’s books but is most beloved for his Frog and Toad stories, including the first one, Frog and Toad Are Friends, published in 1970. The books have garnered much acclaim, including a Caldecott Honor for Frog and Toad Are Friends and a Newbery Honor for Frog and Toad Together. These were followed by Frog and Toad All Year and Days with Frog and Toad.

Reviews for Grasshopper on the Road

[elizajane_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reason for Reading: Ds read aloud to me as his reader.This has always been one of my favourites of Lobel's books! While the whole story is about Grasshopper's journey, each chapter is episodic and tells a humorous tale of someone he meets along the way. These are so silly, they will have you laughing out loud along with your children. Ds enjoyed this one very much. He loves it when something silly or outrageous happens in a story and this kept him giggling. My favourite part is when he meets the beetles who love morning and they let Grasshopper join the club, giving him a sign and a wreath of flowers but as soon as he mentions he likes afternoon and evening as well they kick him out of the club and call him a 'dummy'. Ds's favourite is the story of a mosquito who insists that all must be ferried across the lake in his boat, no matter what. Well, the lake is a puddle and grasshopper won't fit into the boat and could easily hop over 'the lake'. The mosquito won't hear of it though, and grasshopper comes up with a great idea so as not to hurt mosquito's feelings. Since he can't fit in the boat he picks it up and carries it across the 'lake' and mosquito is happy that he has ferried Grasshopper across. Lovely illustrations, of course. A great easy reader that you can't go wrong with.

[jmlibrarian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pilgrim's Progress for the romper room set. Frog and Toad are fabulous, but I say Up with Grasshopper! No author could get across more complexity of plot and characterization on the first-grade level than Arnold Lobel. "Grasshopper" is an allegory of Everyman on the road of life, and our leggy protagonist runs into bugs with all kinds of personality quirks. He meets beetle zealots, a histrionic worm, a narcissistic mosquito, a clean-freak housefly, and obsessive-compusive butterflies. Grasshopper deals with all of them with grace, style, and perfect self-composure. None of them suck him into their neuroses, or even slow him down for very long. It's never too early for the lessons this book teaches--stay centered and grounded, be optimistic, keep to your own path. And beware of all the narrow-minded wackos out there.

[jillrhudy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pilgrim's Progress for the romper room set. Frog and Toad are fabulous, but I say Up with Grasshopper! No author could get across more complexity of plot and characterization on the first-grade level than Arnold Lobel. "Grasshopper" is an allegory of Everyman on the road of life, and our leggy protagonist runs into bugs with all kinds of personality quirks. He meets beetle zealots, a histrionic worm, a narcissistic mosquito, a clean-freak housefly, and obsessive-compusive butterflies. Grasshopper deals with all of them with grace, style, and perfect self-composure. None of them suck him into their neuroses, or even slow him down for very long. It's never too early for the lessons this book teaches--stay centered and grounded, be optimistic, keep to your own path. And beware of all the narrow-minded wackos out there.