How to staycation like a snail

Naseem Hrab

Book - 2024

"Snail is an epic explorer. Well ... kind of. He especially loves the quiet things about adventures, like reading maps, collecting souvenirs, and finding wonder around every corner. And Snail knows that not all adventures need to be far-away--they can also be near-away!--which is why he and Stump choose a vacation destination a mere stone's throw from home. Snail and Stump smell the smells, listen for the sounds, and take in the sights of their home. And then something astonishing happens when a group of parachute seeds blows into their neighbourhood. Snail and Stump offer to show the seeds the sights, and as the seeds ooh and ahh over their favourite haunts, the two friends find an even deeper appreciation for their home and are ...able to see it in a whole new light."--

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Subjects
Genres
Animal fiction
Picture books
Published
Toronto, ON : Owlkids Books [2024]
Language
English
Main Author
Naseem Hrab (author)
Other Authors
Kelly Collier (illustrator)
Physical Description
1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 27 cm
Audience
AD600L
ISBN
9781771476126
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

In his second story (How to Party Like a Snail, 2022), Snail has decided to take a vacation while venturing nowhere. It seems he has traveled from home in the past, as evidenced in the charming, colorful illustrations filled with speech bubbles, but was met with experiences that solidified his desire to never go away again. When some of his friends plan a bus trip to the city, Snail decides to stay behind and appreciate what his home has to offer. One of Snail's friends states, "I guess nowhere is the new somewhere," and another claims, "I hear that here is the new there!" Snail and his close friend Stump resolve to share their stay-at-home vacation, and, using senses such as smell, sound, and sight, they explore the highlights of their habitat. When a few parachute seeds, which resemble dandelion fluff, drop into their area, the two friends show the seeds such a great time that the newcomers decide to take root right there. Hrab's amusing tale is just right for encouraging children to explore their own surroundings and maybe share their discoveries with someone else.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 2--Soft-spoken, mildly introverted Snail is back for another adventure in this perfectly pitched companion to the acclaimed first book--but he won't be leaving home for it. While his animal friends prefer an active vacation, Snail prefers quiet rest at home. So Snail and his friend Stump (who, being a tree stump, is not going anywhere either) decide to have a staycation. They take in everything around them with a new appreciation, from the rocks to the puddles to the sticks. Funny and ironic one-liners and charming cartoon scenes make for an entertaining tale. Short and straightforward sentences appear large and clear on the page, making the deadpan text accessible for young readers. The book is best read aloud with emphasis on the contradictions and irony found across the narrative, although most children will hear it, know it, and probably already use this kind of humor at home. VERDICT An adorable and hilarious picture book that teaches readers the magic of the very low bar.--Maria Bohan

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Quiet-loving Snail finds a way to take a break from routine without all the fuss and bother of…going somewhere. Snail pines for the pleasures of travel but is wary of unexpected upsets ("Escargots for the--ahem--escargot," announces a waiter as Snail flashes back to eating in a fancy restaurant). So Snail bids his animal pals goodbye as they board a tour bus and instead invites his closest friend, Stump, to share more local experiences. Being rooted in place, Stump is enthusiastic--"I hear that here is the new there"--and adventures are waiting just around the corner. Even when the gentle pleasures of staying in place--taking in smells and sounds, reading a guidebook--begin to seem too familiar, look! Here comes a cloud of fluffy "parachute seed" tourists riding in on the breeze to marvel at the exotic (to them) bugs, puddles, and other sights. In fact, some are so enthralled by the peaceful locale that they stay to root themselves. Expressive cartoon artwork brings to life endearingly uncertain Snail on the ups and downs of his staycation. The creators of How To Party Like a Snail (2022) offer a similarly validating follow-up that speaks directly to all readers who, like Snail and Stump, "love being happy homebodies and epic explorers at the same time." Even when it's only an arm's length away, the world beckons for closer inspection. Fine fare for dyed-in-the-wool stay-at-homes. (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.