This is the tale of a tiny snail, and a great big grey-blue humpback whale.
Julia Donaldson is the author of some of the world's best-loved
children's books, including modern classics The Gruffalo and The
Gruffalo's Child, which together have sold over 17 million copies
worldwide, and the hugely successful What the Ladybird Heard
adventures. Julia also writes fiction, including the Princess
Mirror-Belle books illustrated by Lydia Monks, as well as poems,
plays and songs - and her brilliant live shows are always in
demand. She was Children's Laureate 2011-13 and has been honoured
with a CBE for Services to Literature. Julia and her husband
Malcolm divide their time between West Sussex and Edinburgh.
Axel Scheffler is a star illustrator whose instantly recognisable,
warm and witty illustrations have achieved worldwide acclaim and
numerous awards. In addition to his picture books, Axel is the
illustrator of wonderful novelty and gift books for Macmillan, such
as the bestselling The Bedtime Bear, The Tickle Book and Mother
Goose's Nursery Rhymes. He also illustrates the popular Pip and
Posy series. Born in Hamburg, Axel now lives with his family in
London.
PreS-Gr 3-A tiny mollusk that longs to see the world hitches a ride aboard a humpback whale in this charming picture book. After seeing far-off islands, underwater caves, and storm-filled skies, the snail feels impossibly small-until the whale is beached in a harbor, and she saves the day by writing a note on the blackboard of a nearby school to summon help. The message that even the smallest among us can help others will not be lost on children, and neither will the poetic language: "A humpback whale, immensely long,/Who sang to the snail a wonderful song/Of shimmering ice and coral caves/And shooting stars and enormous waves." Donaldson's smooth, sprightly rhyming scheme buoys the story and never falters. The flat, cartoonish look of Scheffler's multimedia illustrations perfectly complements the tone of the text. The rollicking language and bright pictures make this a great choice for reading aloud.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
In a starred review, PW wrote, "Along with providing a resonant environmental message, this story of a sea snail with an itchy foot lightly demonstrates that friendships come in all shapes and sizes." Ages 3-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
