‘So what do you want?’ said Limpy.
The dog glanced around to make sure they weren’t being overheard.
‘Don’t tell any other species,’ said the dog, ‘but humans are in trouble. Too many cars, too many power stations, humans and the weather aren’t getting on. While they work out how to fix the friendship, they need leaves.’
Limpy blinked.
‘Leaves?’ he said. ‘Leaves off branches and stuff? That’s easy. We can give them lots of leaves. Gum leaves, fig leaves, stink leaves. Truckloads of them.’
‘They need leaves that are still growing on trees,’ said the dog. ‘It’s complicated, but leaves on trees do things that makes the weather very happy.’
Limpy nodded.
Probably something to do with how leaves tickle you or something.
Then Limpy remembered the leaf bugs. He looked up. Every leaf in the canopy of branches above their heads had a leaf bug on it, trying hard not to chew. They weren’t doing a very good job. The leaves had so many holes in them they looked like green mosquito nets.
‘It’s not our fault,’ said one of the leaf bugs. ‘We’re just not used to being left up here for so long.’
‘It’s unnatural,’ said another.
‘Eat and then be eaten,’ said a third. ‘That’s our philosophy.’
Limpy looked at the dog again.
‘On this show,’ said the dog, ‘our viewers want to see leaves being protected. Which means leaf bugs being eaten. Lots of them.’
‘Here, here,’ said the leaf bugs.
Limpy understood.
He imagined how grateful humans would be to a species who could do that. Who could be greedy, just sometimes, for a good cause.
Oh how humans would cherish and value such a species. Be kind and polite to them. Not squash them flat on the highway
‘Goliath,’ called Limpy. ‘Got a moment?’
The early morning sun twinkled cheerfully through the swamp.
Limpy gave the sun a smile back.
The sun was right. Even though life had some sad parts, it wasn’t a bad idea to start each day with a bit of cheerful twinkling.
Limpy hopped onto the highway and over to Uncle Spencer and Aunty Sasha.
‘G’day, Uncle Spencer and Aunty Sasha,’ he said. Time to get you stacked up, if that’s all right with you.’
Uncle Spencer and Aunty Sasha didn’t reply.
Limpy wasn’t surprised.
The sun had baked Uncle Spencer and Aunty Sasha harder than overcooked pizzas, and Limpy knew from experience that overcooked pizzas didn’t have a lot to say for themselves.
‘Good news,’ Limpy said. ‘No new rellies squashed this morning.’
He was pretty sure Uncle Spencer and Aunty Sasha would be pleased to hear that.
‘Third morning in a row,’ said Limpy. ‘Now that everyone’s eating a bit less, there’s enough food in the swamp and nobody needs to come to the highway for dinner. And when humans see Goliath on TV eating those leaf bugs and keeping nature in balance, they probably won’t even come after us with cricket bats.’
Limpy paused. He’d just had a thought.
‘Which means,’ he said quietly to Uncle Spencer and Aunty Sasha, ‘you’re the last flat rellies. You probably don’t feel quite as happy about that as I do, but it makes you very special.’
Limpy heaved Uncle Spencer and Aunty Sasha onto his back. He tottered to his room with them. Because he wanted them to feel special, he put them very carefully onto the very top of the uncle and aunty stacks.
Just as he finished, Charm came in.
‘It’s Goliath again,’ she said. ‘He wants to know if he can do a bit more leaf bug population control.’
Limpy rolled his eyes.
‘I’ve told Goliath a hundred times,’ he said. ‘Once a month, not once an hour. And he probably won’t need to do it again because the leaf-bug-gobbling march flies have started to come back, now that we’re not eating so many of them.’
‘I know,’ said Charm. ‘That’s what I told him. Isn’t it great?’
‘Yes,’ said Limpy. ‘It is.’
‘Do you think the humans will notice?’ said Charm.
Limpy hesitated.
He’d been thinking about this a lot.
He was starting to wonder if he’d been a bit selfish when it came to humans. Thinking that cane toads were so important to them. When the entire poor human species was probably lying awake at night worrying about the hail dents in their cars and how to make friends with the weather.
‘I’m starting to feel a bit like Goliath,’ said Limpy. ‘Goliath reckons he’s got a lot more to learn about love, particularly where cheese sticks are involved. I’m starting to think I’ve got quite a lot more to learn about life, particularly where humans are involved.’
Charm looked at him, her little face glowing.
‘I wish humans were more like you,’ she said.
Mum and Dad came in.
‘Guess what?’ said Mum.
‘We’ve just seen a couple of storm beetles,’ said Dad.
‘Thank you, Limpy,’ said Mum.
Limpy felt a bit embarrassed by all the attention.
‘We’re proud of you, son,’ said Dad.
He gave Limpy a hug.
Mum put her hand on Limpy’s face and gently stroked his warts. It was something she used to do when he was little, and he still loved it.
‘I was wrong, Limpy,’ said Mum. ‘What I said before. One cane toad can make a difference.’
‘Two,’ said an indignant voice.
Goliath came in, holding a big dollop of frothy dribble.
‘I’ve been spinning myself around on some swamp slime,’ he said. ‘Do you think humans will like this? It’s a secret recipe that involves me getting my tongue all the way into old soft drink cans.’
‘Maybe one day,’ said Limpy. ‘But for now, why don’t we see if the ants would like some?’
Mum and Dad both had their arms round him, and he put his round Goliath and Charm.
His warts tingled with love.
Frothy dribble has its uses, thought Limpy happily, but this is the real Toad Delight.
Morris Gleitzman grew up in England and came to Australia when he was sixteen. After university he worked for ten years as a screenwriter. Then he had a wonderful experience. He wrote a novel for young people. Shortly afterwards he met his first cane toad. Now, with 37 books, he’s one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors.
Visit Morris at his website:
www.morrisgleitzman.com
Also by Morris Gleitzman
The Other Facts of Life
Second Childhood
Two Weeks with the Queen
Misery Guts
Worry Warts
Puppy Fat
Blabber Mouth
Sticky Beak
Gift of the Gab
Belly Flop
Water Wings
Wicked! (with Paul Jennings)
Deadly! (with Paul Jennings)
Bumface
Adults Only
Teacher’s Pet
Boy Overboard
Girl Underground
Worm Story
Aristotle’s Nostril
Doubting Thomas
Grace
Too Small to Fail
Give Peas a Chance
Pizza Cake
Extra Time
Loyal Creatures
Once
Then
After
Soon
Now
Toad Rage
Toad Heaven
Toad Away
Toad Surprise
Toad Delight
TOAD RAGE
The epic story of one slightly squashed cane toad’s hunt for the truth. And the fun and games that result.
TOAD HEAVEN
The stirring saga of one slightly squashed cane toad’s dreams of a safe place. And what happens when he wakes up.
; TOAD AWAY
The heroic tale of one slightly squashed cane toad’s travels across oceans and continents. And some really busy roads.
TOAD SURPRISE
The eye-popping yarn of one slightly squashed cane toad’s search for friendship. And the surprising place he finds it.
WATER WINGS
Pearl needs a gran and she needs one now. Luckily she’s got Winston to help her. You can do anything when your best friend is the world’s brainiest guinea pig. Well, almost anything.
ADULTS ONLY
Jake is an only kid. He’s the only kid in his family. He’s the only kid on his island. Or that’s what he thinks.
GIFT OF THE GAB
It’s a normal week for Rowena Batts. A car full of stewed apples. A police cell. A struggle to keep Dad off national TV. Then her world turns upside down.
TEACHER’S PET
Ginger is allergic to cats. And possibly to her family as well. She’s also not keen on the cat food in her breakfast bowl or the school principal trying to kill her best friend. The question on everyone’s lips is - will Ginger snap?
THE OTHER FACTS OF LIFE
Ben stared at the TV. He’d never seen anything like it. Fascinating. Incredible. Awful. He had to do something.
SECOND CHILDHOOD
Mark and his friends discover they’ve lived before.
Not only that – they were Famous and Important People. Which is lots of fun. At first.
WORM STORY
Wilton has a bad feeling in his tummy. The one he lives in.Can one worm discover new worlds and save his friends from destruction? Wilton is about to find out.
ARISTOTLE’S NOSTRIL
Aristotle just wants to be happy. And, if possible, have the biggest adventure of his life. With no sneezing. Is that too much for a germ to ask?
BUMFACE
His mum calls him Mr Dependable, but Angus can barely cope. Another baby would be a disaster. So Angus comes up with a bold and brave plan. That’s when he meets Rindi. And Angus thought he had problems . . .
DOUBTING THOMAS
Thomas has an embarrassing secret. Is it a rare and special gift or the worst thing that could happen to a boy? A story about best friends, surprising adventures and itchy nipples.
GIVE PEAS A CHANCE
Surprise your mum with a chainsaw, save the world with a plate of veggies, rescue your family with a tomato, do a good deed with a bag on your head, upset your aunty with ten kilos of chocolate, swap a bomb for ice-creams on a train . . . Funny stories you’ll gobble up.
PIZZA CAKE
Save ten lives with a paperclip, make a new friend in a garbage bin, rescue your dad from a dog and a spider, eat a pizza that makes you fearless, and imagine a world where teachers earn more than a rock star . . . Funny stories with the lot.
WICKED
(with Paul Jennings)
Slurping slobberers want to suck their bones out. Giant frogs want to crunch them up. Their parents can’t help them. Dawn and Rory are on their own.
DEADLY
(with Paul Jennings)
Join Amy and Sprocket as they desperately search for their families – a quest that will take them to the weirdest nudist colony in the world. Uncovering deadly secret after deadly secret, they are lured deeper into an exciting mystery.
BOY OVERBOARD
Jamal and Bibi have a dream. To lead Australia to soccer glory in the next World Cup. But first they must face landmines, pirates, storms and assassins. Can Jamal and his family survive their incredible journey and get to Australia?
GIRL UNDERGROUND
Bridget wants a quiet life. Including, if possible, keeping her parents out of prison. Then a boy called Menzies makes her an offer she can’t refuse and they set off on a job of their own. It’s a desperate, daring plan – to rescue two kids, Jamal and Bibi, from a desert detention centre. Can Bridget and Menzies pull off their very first jail break, or will they end up behind bars too?
EXTRA TIME
A young Aussie soccer genius and his 10-year-old manager take on the world. And win. For a time.
GRACE
In the beginning there was me and Mum and Dad and the twins. And talk about happy families, we were bountiful. But it came to pass that I started doing sins. And lo, that’s when all our problems began.
LOYAL CREATURES
They were loyal creatures, the men and horses of the Australian Light Horse, but war doesn’t always pay heed to loyalty. The powerful story of a 16-year-old volunteer and his horse in World War One. And of a journey towards his own kind of bravery.
TOO SMALL TO FAIL
What do you do when your mum, your dad and sixteen camels are in trouble – and only you can save them? The sometimes sad but mostly funny story of a boy, a girl, a dog and four trillion dollars.
ONCE
Once I escaped from an orphanage to find Mum and Dad. Once I saved a girl called Zelda from a burning house. Once I made a Nazi with a toothache laugh. My name is Felix. This is my story.
THEN
I had a plan for me and Zelda. Pretend to be someone else. Find new parents. Be safe forever. Then the Nazis came.
AFTER
After the Nazis took my parents I was scared. After they killed my best friend I was angry. After they ruined my thirteenth birthday I was determined. To get to the forest. To join forces with Gabriek and Yuli. To be a family. To defeat the Nazis after all.
SOON
I hoped the Nazis would be defeated. And they were. I hoped the war would be over. And it was. I hoped we would be safe. But we aren’t.
NOW
Once I didn’t know about my grandfather Felix’s scary childhood. Then I found out what the Nazis did to his best friend Zelda. Now I understand why Felix does the things he does. At least he’s got me. My name is Zelda too. This is our story.
PUFFIN BOOKS
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India | New Zealand | South Africa | China
Penguin Books is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies
whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.
First published by Penguin Random House Australia, 2016
Text copyright © Morris Gleitzman, 2016
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Cover and internal design by Tony Palmer © Penguin Random House Australia, 2016
Cover illustrations © Andrew Weldon, 2016
penguin.com.au
ISBN: 978-1-76014-261-2
THE BEGINNING
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