“The Snail and the Whale” is another wonderful story of friendship by Julia Donaldson which is much loved in our household. Ever since Mr. Husband had a talk with Shaarav about whales, this little guy’s fascination for them has only been increasing exponentially. And, the moment he was gifted “The Snail and the Whale” by his aunt, this nautical tale has been a part of our reading sessions every now and then which is immediately followed by the quintessential never-ending discussion on whales.

The Snail and the Whale

What’s the story?

Julia Donaldson’s incredible creation “The Snail and the Whale” is a cute story of a tiny, brilliant and ambitious snail who longs to see the world. So, it hitches a lift on the tail of a great big, grey-blue humpback whale and sets out on an adventurous journey together through the starlit sea to far-off lands watching wondrous sights. They travel past towering icebergs with penguins, fiery volcanoes, vibrant corals with stripy fishes and hideous sharks. The snail is delighted to gaze at the vast and high sky, but, amazed by the grandness of the wide world she feels utterly small. Then, one day, the whale loses his way and gets beached in a bay with receding tide. But, this tiny snail with her innovative plan takes it upon herself to rescue the whale and save the day.

What did we like about it?

Just like every other book of theirs, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler don’t fail to amaze us with yet another of their masterpiece. “The Snail and the Whale” features Julia Donaldson’s distinctive and catchy rhyming style which enthralls young readers with perfectly complimenting Axel Scheffler’s iconic stunningly humorous and detailed illustrations make it a joy to read aloud. We love the board book format of the book, perfect for little hands and withstanding continuous and reckless use. The story is simple yet beautiful and touching which helps expand the child’s vocabulary (though some words might need additional explanation). My little man listens to the story with just as much awe and intent as the very first time making it a must-have addition to every enthusiastic reader’s book collection.

Book Details

Written by: Julia Donaldson

Illustrated by: Axel Scheffler

Published by: Macmillan Children’s Books

Genre: Fiction Picture Book

Book Type: Board Book

Recommended Age: 3 to 5

Number of pages: 30

Ratings: 10/10

What’s there for the child to learn?

“The Snail and the Whale” is a delightful tale of nautical escapade and tender friendship which gives a warm feeling. The story showcases  a lovely friendship between two strikingly different animals teaching the kids the lesson that friendship can come in all shapes and sizes. It also teaches the young readers that even the littlest and seemingly insignificant voices can be as much powerful if conveyed in the right manner and size doesn’t matter if you have a strong will and determination. The book also explores the ideas that the world is a beautiful and wondrous place, even the tiniest of beings can achieve what they want with a strong will because limitations are only in our minds and that certain experiences tend to bring about a change in us as a person.

As part of the bookish play we decided to have a storytelling session (read aloud) and watch the animated adaptation of the story telecast on BBC. With charming narration and gorgeous animation the animated adaptation is just so so spectacular to watch and enjoy. If you have enjoyed the story you would definitely love the movie too. We also talked and learned about snails, whales, penguins and sharks, and made our version of the adorably brilliant snail using paper plate, chart papers, paint and glue.

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z challenge. Keep watching the space for our book recommendation for the alphabet X next and in case you missed our theme reveal for this year’s BlogchatterA2Z challenge you can check it out here. You could also check our book review with alphabet V for another great review and book related activities.

Love,

Mrs. Sunshine

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