Toaff's Way: A Christian Perspective

Toaff’s Way by Cynthia Voigt is a children’s book about a young squirrel named Toaff. After his family’s tree snaps in half, and his family leaves him behind to find another place to live, Toaff decides to live on his own.

Toaff is a curious squirrel who always asks questions. Sometimes his curiosity gets him in a little trouble, but it also helps him discover new things and learn more about the world around him. I enjoyed his character and his character growth. He’s inquisitive, brave, kind, selfless, and independent. I also enjoyed his adventures.

Toaff’s family members, like his mother, some of his siblings, and Old Criff do not believe the things he tells them, and they claim he’s just telling stories. This causes Toaff to feel, as he calls it, “only-ness.” The only relative who understands him is his sister Soaff. That’s why when he starts to live on his own, I thought he was better off without his family. They don’t understand him and only make him feel lonely.

There are times when I can relate to Toaff. He often feels “only-ness” and wonders whether or not he’s the only squirrel with questions about things. There are times when I feel like I’m out of place. Christians who follow the word of God may be very different from everyone else and feel the same way Toaff feels. But the reality is that they aren’t the only ones, even though it may not seem like it.

The way Toaff reacts to certain things makes him more believable. For example, he wonders about his family but doesn’t worry about them because “Once a squirrel has learned to forage, he knows his mother is ready for him to leave her nest and forget all about having a mother. It might feel strange and alone like this but it didn’t feel wrong” (p. 21). I didn’t really expect this from Toaff because, in some animal stories, the animals have the same feelings and reactions as people do about their loved ones. However, this seems more realistic to how animals think, and I enjoyed that different perspective. It made Toaff feel more real.

One message in the book is that you shouldn’t believe everything you are told, and you can’t always depend on others to tell you the truth. Instead, you have to ask questions and go make discoveries on your own. Sometimes, Toaff’s family and other squirrels tell him things that simply aren’t true. Toaff questions what his family and other squirrels tell him, seeks answers for himself, and in the end, he is rewarded for it.

You can’t always believe everything a person, a friend, or even a family member tells you. You have to seek the truth yourself. You have to rely on God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to guide you and tell you things. As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Another lesson from this story is that you need to separate yourself from people who don’t respect you, your thoughts, or your opinions, and who think they are always right about everything. Toaff deals with a lot of squirrels who don’t listen to him, don’t believe him, and insist that they know better than him. Eventually, Toaff decides not to hang out with them. There are times when he misses having company, but he ultimately decides it’s better to be alone rather than be with other squirrels who are rude and condescending.

That’s another important lesson in the book. It’s better to be by yourself than to be around people who will mistreat you. If you have given your life to Christ, then you are never really alone even if you don’t hang out with people often or have any friends. You have God (your heavenly Father), the Son (who says that you are His brother or sister), and the Holy Spirit (who is said to be your friend). With them, you have nothing to fear and there’s no need to feel lonely.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes animal stories and children’s books, or who enjoys Cynthia Voigt’s work. If you read this book and enjoyed it, I would also recommend her book Young Fredle, which is another book I enjoyed.