Suvarna Garge (Editor)

The Snail and the Whale

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
8.6
/
10
1
Votes
Alchetron
8.6
1 Ratings
100
90
81
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Rate This

Rate This

Country
  
United Kingdom

Publication date
  
2003

ISBN
  
978-0-330-51734-8

Originally published
  
2003

Illustrator
  
Axel Scheffler

Publisher
  
Macmillan Publishers

4.3/5
Goodreads

Language
  
English

Pages
  
32

OCLC
  
51898638

Author
  
Julia Donaldson

Page count
  
32

The Snail and the Whale t0gstaticcomimagesqtbnANd9GcRmj8NHHbRx2su428

Genres
  
Fantasy, Children's literature

Similar
  
Julia Donaldson books, Children's literature

The Snail and the Whale is a children's book by former children's laureate Julia Donaldson, illustrated by longtime collaborator Axel Scheffler. It has won several awards, including 2004 Early Years award for the best pre-school book, the 2005 Blue Peter award for Best Book to Read Aloud, and the 2007 Giverny award for Best Science Picture Book. The Snail and the Whale has also been adapted into an audiobook, a successful stage play and translated into British Sign Language.

Contents

Donaldson has said that it is one of her favourite books, due to its similarity in rhyming style to the works of Edward Lear, of which she was particularly fond as a child.

Plot

A little snail lives in a flock, on a rock by the docks, and longs to see the wider world. After she writes an advert for a lift wanted around the world, a humpback whale arrives one night and offers to take her travelling. The pair see many sights along their way until one day the whale, confused by the noise of a group of racing speedboats, swims into a bay and is left beached by the retreating tide.

In an effort to help her friend, the snail crawls to a nearby school, and asks for help by writing on the blackboard. The children fetch the emergency services, and the local people and the fire department help to keep the whale wet until the tide turns, and the whale and the snail are able to refloat and swim safely away.

They return to the snail's home in the docks, where the other snails are suitably impressed by the travellers tales, and the whale offers to take them all away to travel around the world.

Recognition

Early Years award for the best pre-school book, 2004 Blue Peter award for Best Book to Read Aloud, 2005 Giverny award for Best Science Picture Book 2007

The audio book won the 2004 Spoken Book gold award for best audio for 6 and under.

Adaptations and Editions

The book is currently available as a paperback, a board book, a colouring book, an activity and sticker book, a magnetic book and a 'Read Along' book with an accompanying tape.

The audio book is read by actress Imelda Staunton

The Snail and the Whale was adapted for the stage by the theatre company Tall Stories in 2012, and has been on tour around the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.

Reviews

The reviews for The Snail and the Whale are overwhelmingly positive, both critically and from the general public.

The Times called it: Bold and brilliant, wise and wacky.

The Guardian said it was a joy to read aloud, and included it a list of best children's books for ages 2 to 4.

It currently receives 4.28 out of 5 stars on goodreads and 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and 5 stars on mumsnet.

Other

A poem on the authors website about 'A Day in the Life' features the creation of The Snail and the Whale:

Trivia

In one picture in the book, a child outside the school is drawing a Gruffalo in the dirt. This was the idea of illustrator Axel Scheffler, and has since become an inside joke repeated in many of their collaborative books published since.

References

The Snail and the Whale Wikipedia