Thanks to the kind folks at Owlkids Books, I have the newest entry in the Snail & Stump series for review: How Not to Rescue a Snail by Naseem Hrab and Kelly Collier. Happy reading!
In How to Not Rescue a Snail, the fourth entry in the utterly charming Snail & Stump series written by Canadian author Naseem Hrab and illustrated by Canadian artist Kelly Collier, Snail and Grammy Slug find themselves involved in a bigger-than-anticipated adventure. Readers who have already met lovable, kindhearted Snail in previous books might remember that Snail appreciates things on a slower, smaller level: “tiny changes” instead of grand adventures; “reading cozy comics with his best friend Stump” instead of huge events; and “staying up slightly past his bedtime when Grammy Slug comes to visit”.
The slower, smoother-paced life works perfectly for Snail, and even though Grammy Slug has had a very exciting life of her own- having “visited the Pyramids, the Great Wall, and Mount Everest”, she makes sure that on her yearly visits to Snail, they take things at a relatively leisurely pace. During this year’s visit to the glade, Grammy Slug tries to involve Snail in creating some new memories- trying something a tiny bit outside Snail’s usual. So, while trying to be courageous, Snail joins Grammy Slug in exploring a new trail! And really, things are not all that scary, or bad…until- a HAND pops into frame out of nowhere! A hand that dares to life Snail up and say: “I’LL RESCUE YOU!”. Oh dear! Snail is taken away from Grammy Slug and into a part of the glade he does not know very well. What else is a lost, sad, and hopeless snail to do other than to hide in their shell- maybe for forever? As tiny bit of luck and a heaping dose of mollusk bravery would have it, Snail (with some other lost friends), Grammy and Stump are able to find their way back to each other- while making sure that HANDS (and their big voices) are clear on how not to rescue snails.
The Snail & Stump series continues to burst with sweetness, kindness, and quietly considered lessons with each new entry. Naseem Hrab and Kelly Collier are a magical pairing of storyteller and artist in this series: creating such a comforting and joyful world with Snail and his friends, showing great admiration for the quieter, gentler-paced life, while still encouraging readers to know they can be brave even while facing fears. At turns funny, heartwarming, and insightful, How Not to Rescue a Snail is another stellar entry into the series, and I for one cannot wait for more titles to enjoy and share with young readers!
I received a copy of this title courtesy of Owlkids Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own.
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