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Snail

Author:

Minu Kim

Illustrator:

N/A

Published by:

Pushkin Children's Books

First Published:

7 Dec 2023

Ideal for readers age

3-5y

My Review

A pretty special book that shares an important message about the joys of going at a slower pace in a fast paced world, this is Minu Kim's debut picture book. A little boy goes out on a bike ride with his big brother's friends and can't keep up. After crashing spectaculary and finding himself alone and frustrated, he spots a snail, climbs a tree to see it better, and finds himself gazing at a beautiful sunset. The view changes his black mood to one of joy: 'The boy's heart grew light, like a cloud. "I'll take it slow. All I have to do is keep my eyes on the sky."'. It's a deceptively simple story really about doing things your own way and not just trying to keep up with everyone else - and the style of illustration echoes this simplicity. The whole book is illustrated in black and white, with the exception of the little boy's bike helmet and the snail, which are both red, enabling children to pick him out easily on his journey - but then the beautiful double page sunset spread is full of stunning colours. It's one of those rare books that holds a message for the adult reading as well as the child being read to - it feels like a breath of fresh air.

Heads Up!

Publisher Review

‘Illustrated in black and white with splashes of red, this gentle story is a charming reminder to find the joy in tackling life at your own pace’ The Bookseller, Editor's Choice A boy goes on a bike ride with his big brother and his friends, but he can’t keep up! The bigger boys speed off and leave him all alone. The little brother feels miserable, until he meets an unexpected friend, and discovers that maybe going at your own pace isn’t so bad after all…
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