Book Review - The Snail and the Whale
A Wonderful Read-Aloud Story by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler
Oct 27, 2009
The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler, is a kids' picture book about a tiny snail with itchy feet who travels the world with a mighty whale, eventually saving the whale from a sorry fate. This beautifully illustrated book is a great read-aloud story that both children and adults will find appealing, even after reading it for the hundredth time.
The Snail with Itchy Feet
The story is divided into two parts. In the first part readers meet the tiny snail who gazes outward at the big world and longs to explore it. The other snails in the flock are quite happy with their limited existence and deride her dream. That doesn't stop the snail. Undeterred, she advertises: "Lift wanted around the world", (all that slime comes in handy when writing) and soon gets an invitation from a humpback whale. She climbs aboard his tail and together the pair explore the world. The sights she sees soon give the snail an inferiority complex:
"And she gazed at the sky, the sea, the land
The waves and the caves and the golden sand,
She gazed and gazed, amazed by it all,
And she said to the whale, "I feel so small."
The Snail Saves The Whale
In the second part of the story the whale gets lost and is beached. Unable to move, the whale moans, but the brave snail comes to the rescue, crawling to a school and getting the children to save the whale by keeping it wet till the tide comes back in. This shows the snail that even small creatures can make a difference, a message which young readers and listeners will certainly enjoy and agree with. The snail returns home to share her adventures with the flock, who all climb aboard the whale's tail for a new adventure.
Alex Scheffler's Pictures
Alex Scheffler brings Julia Donaldson's words to life in his illustrations for The Snail and the Whale. They are rich and colourful, with lots of detail for young readers to explore. Children will enjoy spotting and counting the different animal species as the whale and the snail travel around the world, making The Snail and the Whale educational as well as fun.
Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler, the team behind bestseller The Gruffalo, have created another winner with The Snail and the Whale. It's a book made to be read aloud, with unusual rhymes and distinct voices for the characters. This beautifully illustrated picture book will be a welcome addition to any kid's bookshelf.
(The Snail and the Whale, Macmillan Children's Books, 2004, ISBN 978-0333982242)
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