The Ballad of Tubs Marshfield

Fans of Sara Pennypacker and Katherine Applegate will love this thrilling environmental fable—filled with laughter, music, and adventure.

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.

• Animal Fantasy Adventure: Meet Tubs Marshfield, a music-loving frog whose perfect life in the Louisiana bayou is turned upside down when a strange sickness threatens his home.
• Friendship and Community: When his neighbors fall ill, Tubs must rely on his friends—a smart doctor frog named Lila and a joke-telling swallow named Gloria—to uncover the truth.
• A Timely Environmental Story: A heartfelt fable that gently explores themes of pollution and the importance of protecting the places we love.
• Music and Magic: Follow a mysterious prophecy and discover how one small frog’s songs can inspire the courage to stand up and make a difference.

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PRAISE FOR BERNARD PEPPERLIN: 

“Hoffman deftly creates a compellingly different kind of Wonderland, a place with its own set of realities and whose residents understand that, in spite of their differences, they are stronger together than apart. Everything a fantasy should be and more.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A quirky flight of fancy with a rich lineage.” - Publishers Weekly

"Hoffman cleverly mingles familiar themes and tropes from Carroll’s famous novel with wry humor. A great read-alike for fans of Roald Dahl, E.B. White, and Katherine Applegate." - School Library Journal

“Bernard and his newfound friends—revolutionary rats, wise-cracking cats, and coffee-chugging squirrels, to name a few—will delight and inspire readers of all ages. New York City will never be the same again!” - Erin Entrada Kelly Newbery Medal-winning author of Hello Universe

“What do you get when you put one lost little mouse into a big city filled with singing cockroaches, hungry falcons, magic teapots, and conniving weasels? An utterly charming, delightful tale of bravery and friendship!” - Bobbie Pyron award-winning author of A Pup Called Trouble

"Bernard Pepperlin sparkles! Small animals—human and otherwise—will be inspired by Cara Hoffman’s charming middle grade debut." - Sherri L Smith author of The Toymaker’s Apprentice

“Hoffman brings the rich beauty of the ancient swamp to life … [and] shines a sharp light on humans’ damaging impact on nature, the story also shows the inspiring power of setting aside differences and working together to make change.” - Publishers Weekly

"Spritely and fun." - Kirkus Reviews

"Hoffman has created in Tubs the voice of personal and collective responsibility for the protection of animal habitats that is sure to appeal to young activists; Tubs’s protest songs become a call to action. ...Hoffman paints a powerful sense of place, and the language sparkles with the color, sounds, and smells of the teeming life of the swamp."

- School Library Journal