Tully the Tadpole [Who Never Became a Toad]

by A.M. Ruggirello, Alexis Madau (Illustrator)

Join Tully, a cheerful tadpole, on an exciting adventure! Tully’s whole life has been spent swimming happily in their cozy pond. But things start changing when Tully’s pals turn into toads and hop on land. Tully feels scared and unsure if they’re ready for that big leap. Although loneliness sometimes creeps in, Tully stays positive and embraces their own specialness. As Tully keeps growing, they discover amazing talents of their own, and they learn that they don’t have to be like anyone else—they’re already perfect just being themselves!

With delightful pictures and an inclusive message, “Tully the Tadpole” teaches kids to stay true to themselves, no matter what comes their way. It shows that our differences make us unique and embracing who we are brings true happiness. So, come along with Tully and let yourself shine as the magnificent “you” you were born to be!

Genres: Picture Books

36 pages, Paperback

Published August 22, 2023

About the author

A.M. is a Romanian-American author who writes dark and twisty young adult and new adult tales with romantic undercurrents. She has also dabbled in children’s books and cookbooks, neither of which is dark or twisty or romantic. When not writing books, she’s designing book covers, baking bread with her sourdough starter Bertram the Bread Builder or wrangling two young boys (list not in order of priority). She resides in Milwaukee, WI.

She is represented by Alex Land at Mad Woman Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Mai T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story about a tadpole that grows and grows, but doesn't turn into a toad. That's okay. Everyone's journey is different. Usually, either the story or illustrations are better, but in this case, I loved both. The blues, greens, and yellows made for a truly beautiful book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Tully the Tadpole Who Never Became a Toad is a cute illustrated picture book for children that encourages them to embrace and enjoy being who they are and no matter their differences to others.
Tully loves swimming about in his pond with his friends until one day they all begin changing, and he feels alone and different as he's not changing the way they are. I loved how Tully explored their own unique abilities and found this a great book for all children to explore.

[ms. hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads and publishers for an ARC!! Loved the pictures (they were extremely beautiful) and the concept of the book! It sent a great message out. Thumbs up all around ◡̈

( I even loved the pages that had the facts at the bottom of the pages for my science loving kids )

[Papergirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tully The Tadpole (Who Never Became A Toad) is written by A.M. Ruggirello and beautifully illustrated with full page pictures by Alexis Madau. Written in rhyme, it has a nice sing-song flow to it that keeps a steady pace. This technique also makes it easy for younger children to memorize the words and join in having read the story time and time again. The supporting illustrations match the words perfectly albeit with a very small, yet respectable color palette.

The story is inspired by a tadpole named Goliath that was far bigger than other American Bullfrog tadpoles. It was thought that owing to its size, Goliath would not change into a frog in the usual way, if at all. As a result, Tully The Tadpole (Who Never Became A Toad) was born. The grains of truth wrapped up in this story make it extra special and provide a subject for discussion particularly for the older members of the audience. Speaking of discussion, this book provides several talking points in several ways. As discussed, there is the non-fiction element. Additionally, there are footnotes that describe points that may not be readily understood by young children, i.e., what is a dorsal fin. Then there is the series of questions at the back of the book that check for comprehension as well as work to aid kids develop their own thought processes.

I liked the sense of inclusivity as it felt quite natural. Tully was neither male nor female, instead refer to ambiguously as they and their.

The story itself talked of a tadpole watching their friends grow up and leave the pond to explore land. Although they would come back to visit the pond daily, it was not the same for Tully who had to spend nighttime alone, which made them feel lonely. In time, they realized they were never going to be able to leave the confines of the pond, but it was fine, because they had embraced the idea of being exactly who they were.

This is a wonderful book to grow up with. It works well as a bedtime story or a book for early readers. The educational element is just a welcome bonus. Boys and girls alike will likely love this tale and parents might call on it to help their little ones understand their uniqueness. This G-Rated book couldn’t be any higher in my esteem and, therefore, gets a well-earned 5 out of 5 stars.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful story! The art is absolutely gorgeous, everything from the style to the color palette chosen helps tell the story. I also really loved the typography (and I loved the footnotes with facts about tadpoles and toads.)

The story of Tully is told in a lovely, compelling rhyme. This would work very well both as a bedtime story and for talking points about staying true to yourself even though that can feel lonely at times.

I really liked that Tully broke the binary (tadpole to toad) while being referred to as they, actually. I didn't know that Tully's life path was something that could genuinely happen with tadpoles, which makes this story even richer in my opinion.

My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Catherine Craig (Angelic Light) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute children's book which is about Tully the tadpole. The story has a nice message, which is to enjoy being yourself, even if you are different from those around you. Tully was always happy in his pond, but he was lonely when his friends turned into frogs and he didn't. Instead, he turned into a huge tadpole, and he had to learn to accept himself.

The book has gorgeous illustrations and the text is easy to read. At the end of the book is an inspiration area and some questions for kids, which I found interesting. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

[Librarian Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tully the Tadpole is developing into a toad much slower than their friends. Tully loves being a tadpole and doesn't really want to change, but is also lonely and misses their friends. Footnotes throughout explain concepts that readers may not know, like what a dorsal fin is and how toads live in water and on land. I was surprised reading the back matter that the story is based on a real tadpole named Goliath that was 10 inches when discovered! There are also questions to ask kids after reading to extend their learning.
#TullyTheTadpole #NetGalley

[pineapple tofu · Rating 5 out of 5]

With fascinating facts at the bottom of each page, "Tully the Tadpole" is part of nature and part of science in the world of frogs and tadpoles. Follow Tully as he never grows up into a frog like his siblings. Readers can immerse themselves in the beautiful watercolors of every page. Tully loves his fins but wonders about himself and how change can be good or bad. For Tully, he's a one-of-a-kind tadpole!

[Mary Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this free e-copy of Tully the Tadpole by A.M. Ruggirello in exchange for a honest review.This book is about Tully the Tadpole who stays a tadpole even as all his friend change into toads.Included in his story is a lot of science info about the metamorphosis and description of a tadpole.The main theme of this story is self - acceptance which is such an important theme.Great for preschoolers.

[Sharni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with my 3 year old son and he loved it! It has a lovely message about being yourself. There were also some questions at the back to help children to reflect on the message of the book.

The watercolour style illustrations were also beautiful.

There were little facts on some of the pages about tadpoles and toads, so this could easily be utilised in the classroom eg. lesson on the life cycle of a frog (outcome: ST2-4LW-S from the NSW syllabus)

[Kseniya · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed reading Tully the Tadpole to our daughter. It is a beautifully illustrated story with a great message about remaining true to yourself. It is also somewhat educational with facts and information about tadpoles throughout. I’ll be on the lookout from more stories from this author and illustrator.

[Athena Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet story that I truly enjoyed reading to my kids. The illustrations were absolutely beautiful and the facts at the bottom of the pages was a awesome added bit of reading my kids liked. The story lesson was sweet and simple: be true to who you are and have pride in yourself.

[AiroToriA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book to my 4yr old. He’s going through a frog phase.
Beautifully designed.
And easy to understand message. Be yourself and no need to rush.

[Courtney (withabookproblem) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My five year old sat still for the entire book! The illustrations are done so well and the story is cute! A nice lesson to ensure kids know they’re fine just the way they are!

[nikey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an inspirational story and its illustration is so adorable. The book had a lovely message that remind us to love ourself, remind us that everyone grows at different pace and different path. Thing that is more important is don't compare yourself to the others, just be and love yourself.

[Jenn Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a tadpole and it was very hard to read. I thought it went through the life cycle, but the tadpole never became a frog. I did like the footnotes and it game me hopes that it was a more scientific book, but it was actually more of a accept yourself as you are kind of book. It is a sweet message and the art is adorable.

4 stars

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tully the Tadpole is an interesting story inspired by Goliath, a large tadpole that never turned into a frog. The story itself flowed nicely with some beautiful illustrations. And it had a lovely message about staying true to oneself. I found the inspiration of the story to be fascinating and even had to look it up for myself.

[jyweniverel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tully doesn’t transform into a toad, but learns you don’t have to worry about being who you are. Just enjoy the amazing things you can do being you. Based on a true discovery of a tadpole that didn’t metamorphose and grew to be a big tadpole, this book also has information on tadpoles and toads.

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute story with a deeper message. Tully is a tadpole who doesn't feel ready to become a toad. In fact, Tully is not sure that they will ever be ready for that change!

So they are sad when their grown friends, who are no longer tadpoles but toads, come to visit and then leave. Because then, Tully feels lonely.

But as Tully asks themself difficult questions about they really want, they reach an unexpected realisation. Namely, that they can simply be themself - as Tully as a Tully can be (shades of Dr Seuss!)

The illustrations in this book are very appealing, and the rhyming text is easy to follow. There is also a thought-provoking list of questions for children to discuss at the end. I found it very interesting that they/them pronouns are used in the book for Tully.

There is a lot of food for thought in this small book about self-acceptance (and by extension, the acceptance of others for who they are) as well as the need for individualism, and the wisdom of being who you are instead of trying to fit yourself into a box that isn't tailored to your needs.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tully the Tadpole is an adorable book about a tadpole who experiences some "big feelings" as he watched his friends grow up and turn into toads and he didn't. Even though his friends came back to the pond as toads to visit, Tully had to learn acceptance in himself as he would stay a giant tadpole forever.

I loved how this beautifully written and illustrated story included footnotes at the bottom of the pages that stated facts about tadpoles and toads. The watercolor illustrations were beautifully done and the colors were so engaging. I also appreciated the questions for discussion at the end. This is a great book to use for helping children accept themselves and others.

Thank you to A.M. Ruggirello, BooksGoSocial and #NetGalley for the ARC and opportunity to read and review this enchanting and informative book!

[Ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about the life of Tully the tadpole who grows and grows, but never grows into a frog. He watches his friends go through the life cycle, but he stays a tadpole. This book is colorful and very creative. It can help others understand that not everyone is the same, and everyone's journey through life is different.

I also love how the book has science facts at the bottom of some of the pages to teach facts about tadpoles!

This book would be great for your home, school, and classroom library.
#TullyTheTadpole #NetGalley

[Kelly | Bookmarks 'n Blankets · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations were pretty, but not my favorite type of artwork. The story was cute but pretty short, and not a lot happened. I think it could’ve been a little longer with a fun little action sequence to make it more interesting. The little fun facts sprinkled throughout the story were a nice touch, though. Overall, it was an okay read but a little preachy. I prefer messages to be a bit more subtle. Cute for kids.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

[Megan Wrye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute quick read to show that you don’t have to be like others to be happy and you can be awesome just by being you. It had great questions at the end to start thoughtful conversations with your kids. I didn’t love that it wasn’t a little more thorough on the actual cycle of tadpoles and while it’s cool that they stayed true to how they felt it doesn’t actually explain why they didn’t turn into a frog which caused me to deep dive to see if tadpoles can actually stay tadpoles.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tully the eternal tadpole is the star of this children's book. The book's narrative is perfect to read aloud to a young listener since it's written in rhyme. Kids will also appreciate the facts about a toad's lifecycle sprinkled throughout the book. The art is very pleasant watercolor. Ultimately, the story is about self acceptance even when one's path deviates from the norm. This is a warm, uplifting read that I would recommend. Thank you to NetGalley for the digital copy.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tully was a tadpole in a big pond. All the other tadpoles were changing into toads. In the midst of his friends changing and the changes he was experiencing, he learned to accept himself.

Kids will love the story of Tully and he came to accept himself. Not expecting for others to accept him.

A special thank you to BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Theediscerning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Screechingly woke story of being your own you, featuring a tadpole that won't transform into a toad – much like a mahoosive one found in real life in Arizona, according to the footnotes. The artwork is very average, and while the text is laudably rhymed it too has to lose marks for mangling pronouns from the get-go. Principally this is just The Message, and not really here to engender fun, so two and a half stars.

[Tricia Hackney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tully the Tadpole (who never became a toad) is a sweet book to share with little friends. It’s full of gorgeous watercolor illustrations and rhymes!! Tully discovers that he is the Tulliest Tully that there will ever be and that it’s okay to NOT be just like everyone else. Thank you to Netgalley and A.M. Ruggirello for a digital advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisa Gisèle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.

A very sweet story, I can't believe it is based on a true story. I really enjoyed how Tully was still playing with his friends and that he was still one of the gang. The fact that Tully was a they/them also made me smile. A wonderful inclusive book about self acceptance

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thoughts are neutral on this book. I did not love it but did not dislike it either. It uses the they/their pronouns so Tully is a gender neutral tadpole that just wants to be accepted. I would have liked to see more character development but that falls short. I did enjoy the lovely watercolor illustrations!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reading copy.

[Laura DeGrave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the extra information on tadpoles in small print.
The artwork was displayed in lovely soft colors.
A sweet story about accepting ourselves for who we are.