The Ballad of Tubs Marshfield
Published November 10th 2020 by HarperCollins, Hardcover 208 pages
There’s no other place Tubs Marshfield would rather be than singing a song in his perfect little swamp along the Louisiana bayou. His music can make anyone feel happy.
But something terrible is happening within the swamp that even Tubs’ songs can’t fix—and it’s making his neighbors feel sick! No one knows what to do, least of all Tubs.
A mysterious prophecy may hold the key…or send Tubs away from his friends forever.
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
I received an electronic ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley.
Delightful tale of swamp inhabitants who fight back against the pollution that is killing them and destroying their home. Tubs is a musician who needs to figure out where he belongs. His cousin, Lila, left the swamp for school and returned as a doctor. Tubs stayed home but now feels the call to perform in the big city (New Orleans). As he prepares to leave, changes are occurring. All of the swamp dwellers are becoming ill. Lila has done research and Tubs locates the source of the contagion. He creates a new song and the change is shared around the world. Together, the creatures stop the drainage that is killing their home.
Terrific book to spark dialogue about environmental impacts. Readers will love the charming characters and see the message beyond the cuteness. A needed book to encourage younger readers to think about the impact of their actions.
Rating: really liked it
At first, this was giving off The Wind in the Willows-type vibes. Tubs lives in a homey swamp, full of quirky animal friends. He sings and enjoys his community. And then I thought, no, this is more like Masterpiece or even Charlotte's Web -- books where creatures and people feature in the story. But in the end, I decided this is most like Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The animals are trying to fix a problem that the people have created, and in this case, it's a problem for the people as well.
Literary antecedents aside, there was also a bit of an echo of the Black Lives Matter protests from last summer. Tubs and his community are facing the dual threat of toxic waste and a voracious alligator, and it reminded me of those out protesting against police brutality in the middle of a pandemic. In another parallel, the toxic waste causes swamp residents to get sick, but it takes them awhile to find the connection and figure it out. Wild theories abound, and there is a combination of fear and deliberate ignorance that reminds me of the way our current humans are responding to covid-19. In that sense, this story is both very cute and extremely relevant.
The story is not fast-paced, and it took me some time to get into it. However, Tubs the frog musician and his cousin Lila the doctor are sympathetic protagonists. They love their community and their drive to protect it inspires not only their friends but the reader as well. There are plenty of interesting side characters as well. A few are fearful and skittish and quick to blame, there's a southern bog lemming who claims to have magical powers, and then the mystic alligator whose prophesies are sought after even as she eats the other swamp residents.
On the surface this is a cute story that would make for a fun readaloud... except for all the song excerpts (this should make for a fun audiobook experience, however). But just beyond the cuteness are layers and layers of topics for further discussion (environmentalism, corporate greed, human short-sightedness, ecosystems, the power of a good protest song, scientific methods, disinformation, and community engagement). Lots to uncover here.
Rating: really liked it
4/5 ⭐️ for The Ballad of Tubs Marshfield by Cara Hoffman
This was a super adorable middle grade book about a frog (Tubs Marshfield) who loves writing songs and singing, and has to save his beloved swap when the animals start becoming very sick. From the get go, I noticed that the writing was very beautiful and descriptive. I could see, smell, hear, and experience the swamp with Tubs and his friends. This book also dealt with some more heavy themes such as loss, friendship, a scary mystery illness, and environmentalism. There was also such a great sense of community between all the creatures from the swamp, as they try to figure out why everyone is getting sick! This was in spite of differences between the different species of creatures, and gossipy rumours that were going around about a couple of main creatures. I think it was a good warning about how rumours and gossiping can be hurtful and harmful. As a middle grade book, I thought that a book solely featuring animal characters was super fun, though as an adult reader it did require a little suspension of belief. Finally, the musical aspect was a great connection for me as someone who loves music and singing. Tubs loves writing songs for different occasions and for encouragement, and they are so cute! But there is also power in music & lyrics. A song has connected the swamp and holds its history for thousands of years, and Tubs writes a song that connects the whole swap when it seems all hope is lost.
If you have a young reader who loves music and the environment, I’d highly recommend giving them this book!
Rating: really liked it
Tubs, the singing frog, has a problem. All of his friends are getting sick. His friend Lila, a doctor in frog form sees this too. For some time, they try to figure out the source of illnesses causing itching, scratching, feather loss and bad health. It turns out that they are being poisoned by the water...and the humans that are pumping in toxins. Without providing spoilers, this book has a happy ending for Tubs and his friends.
For kids, this fantasy is a chance to be reminded of the interconnection between humans and many animal species along with the huge negative impacts that humans have on nature. Enjoyable read. Appropriate for 10-12 year olds.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads Giveaway; no compensation was received in exchange for this review.
Rating: really liked it
As an adult reader, I would give this 2 stars but kids would probably give it a 4, so I went with the average. It does promote community and caring for the environment, but it also references drinking wine and smoking a pipe, which might turn some people off. It also doesn't really get to much adventure or action until over halfway through the book, so I don't know if young readers will stick with it. The illustrations are adorable.
Rating: really liked it
I received a copy of The Ballad of Tubs Marshfield in return for an honest review.
I have always loved a well-written book, and this fits the description. Correct grammar, not preachy, interesting plot with enought twists. Even took what could have been a boring subject and made it interesting.
I have already given it to a nine-year-old friend and look forward to hearing his thoughts.
I am definitely adding Ms Hoffman’s other books to my wish list.
Rating: really liked it
I read this book to my 4th grade class. It was whimsical, fun, and inspiring. The characters were easy to fall in love with and the themes touched our hearts. My kids loved this book. We are reading another by this author now.
Rating: really liked it
Felt like this one was trying to be too realistic for a fantasy of talking frogs/other marsh creatures. I think overall it was pushing the water pollution issue a bit too much for kids to really enjoy.
Rating: really liked it
The characters have a strong sense of community and connection with their environment. The story looks at environmental issues and working together. Kids will enjoy the world of the swamp. It had a slow pace for me, and took a while for the story to really get going.
