Customer Reviews

The Snail and the Whale

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rhyming texts are always appealing to young ears, and this adventure tale by Julia Donaldson is no exception.

A tiny sea snail lives on a rock overlooking the sea. The more he looks at the sea the more he dreams of sailing around it. Ignoring the advice of his fellow snails who want him to stay put he posts a sign on the rock: "Ride wanted around the world." As they say, nothing ventured nothing gained.

One night a giant humpback whale came to the rock and invited the snail to sail with him. It didn't take the snail but a second to decide - he hopped on the whale's tail and they were off.

They saw many wonders: icebergs, penguins, mountains, golden sands, underwater caves. Such excitement!

But one day there was a bit too much excitement as racing speedboats forced the whale to swim too close to shore. Then as it does every day, the tide went out leaving "the whale beached in a bay."

Now, how can a tiny snail possibly save his friend the whale?

Youngsters will love this story's ending, and also learn a valuable lesson.

- Gail Cooke

This is the best book my daughter and I have read in a while. She is 4, and I have been reading it to her every day since we got it. We liked it so much that we had to check out all of the other Julia Donaldson books. We also love Room on the Broom. Both of these are fun rhyming books that tell a wonderful story.

We just received this book and it has already become one of my son's favorites. We had to read it twice the day it came and he is asking for it every night. It is a beautiful book, I fell in love with it the first time I read it to him. The text flows smoothly, the story is wonderful, it shows how even if your different you can get along and help one another. It also teaches that it doesn't matter what size you are , you can make a difference. The illustrations are wonderful, alot of detail and color. Just all around one of the best books I have ever purchased.

I absolutely love this book. It is a classic tale with a friendship reminiscent of Wilbur and Charlotte, though expressed in much fewer words. This is an exceptional book with beautiful illustrations and a wonderful story - perfect for all ages. The adventurous spirit and courage of our tiny hero is remarkable, proving that even the smallest of us can make a huge difference in the world. This is truly a prize book for my collection, and one I will enjoy reading again and again for years to come.

J.H. Sweet, author of The Fairy Chronicles

My children and I love this book! The rhyming verses just flow beautifully, holding my children's attention as well as mine. I have yet to tire of reading this out loud to them. The pictures are wonderful and we love the snail! Not only is it fun to read but it has a great message for children. This will remain one of my all time favorite children's books.

My two and a half year old son loves this book! The illustraions are wonderful and he follows the story. It's one of the best books we have. Highly recommend!

This book is absolutely fabulous. My 4-year old loves whales and marine life, so a whale and a snail having an adventure was right up her alley. The language is beautiful and easy for my 8 year old to read. I would recommend this book to any parent--it also has the "fable" to it of the small helping the large, when the snail helps the whale who's beached himself.

Another great rhyming book from Julia Donaldson. She does a great range of books and they appeal to adults and kids. They are so easy to read and it is a joy to follow the simple yet exciting stories. She is a gifted story teller and the illustrations are just intriguing.

A really beautiful book;the illustrations and the plot make this book work. The rhyme scheme keeps children interested.

My daughter LOVES all the books by this author and illustrator! We have almost all of them now! The Snail and the Whale is one of her favorites and I highly recommend it! Great tale, fantastic drawings.....and, I suspect it will be a book that is of interest and fun for a few more years (she is not even 2 yet!)