The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) [Paperback]

Avi (Author), Tricia Tusa (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

Avon the snail has never had an adventure. And adventure, he has heard, is the key to a happy life. So with his new friend Edward the ant, Avon sets out on a journey to find the excitement his life has been missing.
    

This modern fable is filled with funny--and profound--insights about the meaning of things . . . great and small.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up–A charming modern fable. Avon the snail's voracious reading convinces him that having an adventure is the key to a happy life so he sets out on a journey with his new friend, Edward the ant. In a series of very short chapters, the two travel–at a snail's pace–the length of a branch, meeting another snail, a caterpillar, a worm, a cricket, a salamander, and a mouse (whom Edward and Avon are sure is a dragon in disguise). Many insights unfold: "here" and "there" are not much different; while getting lost is easy, it's finding one's self that's hard; whether rushing or going slowly, one still arrives; and it is important to look at the world with one's heart and not just with one's eyes. The book is full of plays on "beginning" and "end." Until Avon and Edward help the worm, he is unsure which is his front and which is his back, and is doomed to a life without end. When they reach the end of the branch, are they actually at the end of the sky and the beginning of the branch? Avon and Edward turn around and head back, coming to a house that looks magically like Avon's own. The friends decide to live together in this magic castle. And so, true to the book's title, the beginning of their friendship ends. Whimsical pen-and-ink sketches add much to this wise little book. It's perfect for reading and discussing.–Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4. Avon the Snail is a reader, so he knows that everyone leaves on a journey to find adventure. When he laves on his quest, he takes along Edward the Ant, and the friends find a dragon (in disguise, of course) as they travel from here to there, and discover that the end of the branch they are on is the beginning of the sky. With Tusa's occasional, expressive pencil drawings, this small chapter book seems part warm Frog-and-Toad-type friendship tale and part gentle farce. Young grade-schoolers will enjoy the slapstick with the small creatures; older ones will have fun with the wordplay (Father is stuck at home writing about fast food for Readers Digestion) and the situations (in a letter to his friend Avon writes about what he's doing--writing to his friend). Best of all is the fun with the heroic quest of leaving home to find home. A story that begs to be read aloud; even kindergartners will enjoy it. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper; Reprint edition (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152055320
• ISBN-13: 978-0152055325
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #369,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( A ) > Avi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable New Story for Young/Middle Readers, September 7, 2004

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) (Hardcover)

Avon, a small snail, has never been blessed with experiencing an adventure. However, he has heard that adventures are the key to happiness in life. So, with the help of his new friend, a small ant named Edward, Avon sets out to experience a journey. One that will make up for all of the adventures that he has missed in his short lifetime. During their journey, the two young adventurers meet up with all kinds of wonderful, and fantastical beings, and strange creatures, including something that Avon has always wanted to meet up with face to face - a dragon!

Phenomenal author Avi once again proves that he has the talent to write in various different genres, with his latest effort THE END OF THE BEGINNING. Filled with two wonderful young characters who are inquisitive, brave, intelligent, and loving, Avi shows readers, young and old, that even the smallest creatures think, and gives us all a new respect for snails as well as ants. With wonderful black and white sketches contained on almost every page, as well as a beautiful harcover format, that fits right into your pocket, this is an absolute must-have. NOTE: Don't be intimidated by the page count (143). The large-set font, as well as the illustrations make this book a quick read, that is a wonderful start for young readers trying to read on their own.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Book Ever, September 28, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) (Hardcover)

This is my favorite book ever. It was very,very funny. It was funny when they found a worm that went to sleep and then, when it woke up, it forgot which end its head was supposed to be on. Then they had to tickle the ends to find out what end was which.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great book, November 3, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) (Hardcover)

I"m seven and I think that this book should be read from second to fifth grade. I thought this book was great because they (Avon and Edward) talked themselves into things that are not really true and in that way it"s really funny. They go on an adventure and think it"s the beginning but it"s really the end.