The animated movie of this title is actually based on a science fiction story by Thomas M. Disch, first published in Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine after being rejected by several publishers as an independent book. It won the 1981 British Science Fiction Award, and after that was optioned by Disney, so it could not be published in book format until the film was released. It was finally published as a children's book in 1986 (the movie came out in 1987), and in 1988 a sequel was published, "The Brave Little Toaster Goes To Mars." This was also made into an animated movie, but the third movie, "The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue" was not written by Disch.