Absolutely loved the book and the illustrations. Gives the perfect message to little ones that it is okay to be yourself, even when you are different! I adore this book! Loved it so much, I went ahead and bought the paperback copy! I also was excited that a few pages had scientific facts, which is a great add on for the science lovers out there! Yippee!

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.

I first want to start off by saying the illustrations and water color are absolutely beautiful!! A great little story about growth. I loved watching Tully grow.

Great book, great illustrations, lovely story all about being happy to be you.

I loved the facts written small underneath as it didn't interrupt the story and you can go back and reread them. The inspirations bit about Golliath was also a great added extra.

I just read this to my daughter and she loved it. The illustrations are enchanting and the message and pacing is perfect for her, especially as she is learning to read and entering school. I loved the educational tidbits printed at the bottom of some pages. Kids often ask questions during books about what does this animal do or what about that, and having that additional information was a great idea. Overall, the kids greatly enjoyed this book and I as a parent really appreciated the message.

The illustrations in this book were downright adorable. My mom is an elementary school library and she would love to have this in her library. I will definitely be purchasing a copy for her and my friends with children. I can’t wait to share this story with them.

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.

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!

What a cute book cover! It really catches a child's eye.

Some great lessons within this little book. Letting children know that no matter what, they should stay true to themselves and that their differences are what make them unique. Celebrating our differences is a great lesson to learn at an early age and they can carry that message with them throughout life!!

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

What a sweet little book. It shows kids that you can be yourself, regardless of who everyone else wants you to be.
I thought the illustrations were great and the colors are definitely eye catching.

This was a cute and sweet little book.

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.

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.

Great book with beautiful watercolor illustrations. Tully tadpole stays a tadpole and doesn't turn into a toad! The book explains about metamorphosis and what tadpoles turn into, but how Tully stayed a tadpole and kept growing and growing! Includes questions for children at the end.

The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful! The story is cute as well about being yourself whoever you are.

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.

my twins and i loved reading this little book. the bots loved the artwork and tullys story. this could def be read for kindergarten -1st graders..

Tully the Tadpole is a delightful book about a small tadpole with big dreams. Tully is content as a tadpole. Loving life and happy, the thought of becoming a toad is scary. The more reflection that goes into this, Tully is confused about why this change needs to happen. Why become a toad when you’re satisfied being a tadpole? Bringing big thoughts to reality, Tully was able to become a unique super large tadpole and never became a toad. The fact that this book was inspired by a real-life gigantic tadpole named Goliath is enchanting. The author adds several explanations for kids about tadpoles and toads. These, coupled with the thoughtful questions for young readers at the end, make this an all-around fantastic book. The text in Tully is gender-neutral, appealing to all children. Tully is happy to be a tadpole, and that is good enough. Children will identify with the feeling of wanting to be someone else. Tully will reassure them that not only is it okay to be comfortable in their own skin, but they should be proud to be themselves. Tully the Tadpole (Who Never Became a Toad) is a small book with a big message!

I loved the illustrations and incorporation of tadpole facts throughout the story! It was a cute read about loving exactly who you are! I think my students would love this story!

Tully The Tadpole is such a cute book! Great for kids and for learning to be their true self and to be proud of themselves. The book was colorful and bright and very inviting for kids to enjoy!

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

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.

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.

Thank you very much, netgalley and A.M. Ruggirello for giving me this arc!
"I am as tully as a tully can be!"
If you want a heartwarming story, you need to read Tully the tadpole.

Tully the tadpole tells us a story about how tully was different from his friends, sometime this would bother him, but he was happy the way he was. It's a heartwarming story for children and adults to read.
The writing is really easy, and the illustrations are beatiful! I loved how they illustrated everything and the colors in the book that you can enjoy!
A plus is that you can find fun facts about frogs all around the book, and they are fascinating and cute.
I love how in the end they tell us that the story was inspired by a real case.

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!

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.

Tully the tadpole doesn't want to transform into a frog, they wants to stay as a tadpole forever.

Based on 'Goliath', the real life tadpole who reached a record breaking size of 10 inches long - so long that scientists believed it wouldn't be able to complete it's life cycle into a frog.

A very lovely, cutesy children's story about accepting who you are and learning how to be completely yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley & BooksGoSocial for the DRC

Oh my goodness are these illustrations just the cutest! And not only are the pictures adorable but the story is a good one about being happy with who you are. I love how there are little notes at the bottom of some of the pages explaining some of the words and extra facts about toads. The notes and questions at the end are a really nice touch as well (and crazy that this is based off a real life story). Definitely going to be getting a copy for my little bookworm!

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.

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.

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.

So cute! A great fun way to learn about how frogs grow and the illustrations are so cute. I love a book that's pretty to look at and is informative!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. I never knew that some tadpoles never change into frogs so this was an interesting read. Good scientific information included.

Tully is a tadpole who is happy swimming around in their pond. When they see their friends start to change into toads Tully gets worried. What will happen to them? How will they change? Tully keeps growing and finally they realize that they are happy being just who they are.
This story teaches children that it is okay to be different and to accept everybody as they are.

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.

This was a delightful story of a tadpole that finds the strength to be who they want to be. The art was simple and kept my little ones engaged. The message of self acceptance was very well done, wish it had just a tiny bit more story but it was so cute. I enjoyed the authors note at the end for the real life inspiration to the story.

There's a lot of things I loved about this book, it was a really fun read. I really liked how there was little footnotes with extra information about tadpoles & frogs - this really added a further level of learning to the story which I can imagine will fascinate kids, Additionally, I really liked that the story was inspired by a real-life tadpole that grew & grew, just like Tully - & how we learnt about said inspiration at the end of the book. Lastly, I liked the fact there's some discussion questions at the end. Overall, this is a really great book for kids - jam packed with fun, meaningful lessons & beautiful artwork.

A quick, cute, colorful read that will entertain young readers and the parent's reading to them equally. It's always enjoyable to take a break from reading long books to dive into something sweet and simple such as this.

This was the cutest little book! I loved it so much and so did my daughter. The artwork is beautiful and the lesson is perfect!! I especially liked the questions to ask the kids at the end. Such a great touch!

This book was so adorable, I loved everything about it, the illustrations were so well done, they suited the book perfectly, the story was amazing as well, even thought is very short I could really connect with the characters. I’m sure the kids are going to be just as enthralled with this amazing book as I was. I will definitely recommend! Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this early copy

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.

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.

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.

This was such a fun, cute little story! It could be used in the classroom to teach kids about the tadpole/frog life cycle, and I feel like little kids would really enjoy this. The theme is all about being yourself, which is a great message for children. Though not really a criticism, per say, but I would not be able to use this book in a school in certain states. Although not explicitly stated, the tadpole is a "they" - neither girl nor boy - which could be interpreted as trans or other representation in some states, which could get a teacher in trouble. However, I love the message and topic, especially since it relates to a real-life story of a tadpole who never became a frog. Such a cute and fun story! Loved it!

Cute children’s book with beautiful watercolor pictures. I love the message this book sends children. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC. I plan on purchasing this book for my classroom.

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

What a cute book! Beautiful illustrations.
I read it to my daughter who loves frogs and she loved it.

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!

This is a sweet children's book with cute illustrations. It has an important message about growing up, changing and loving yourself. Definitely recommend adding this one to your Littles bookshelves.

The illustrations are gorgeous! Its a fun read with a character kids will enjoy! It will be a fun addition to read alouds in my school library.