Are You a Snail?
By Sally Snyder,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Kids learn science by pretending they're snails.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Do you have a shell on your back? Are you slimy? The author holds children's attention and gives them a basic science lesson by having them pretend they are snails. Young children will be intrigued by the premise and the facts. Watercolor illustrations show the snail world.
Is It Any Good?
The basic information on the life of snails may intrigue children and prompt them to look in their yards for snails and insects. This book, part of the Backyard Books series, invites listeners to imagine themselves as snails, leaving a slimy trail, eating leaves, and avoiding thrushes and foxes. Watercolor illustrations on a white background show snail features clearly and depict an intriguing snail's-eye view of the world.
The last two pages give additional information on snails, such as that there are more than 60,000 different kinds of snails. However, one question is left unanswered: A page shows a slug and states that it is not a snail that has lost its shell. But what is not clear is how a snail looks without a shell.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about perspective. Think of another animal -- a bee, perhaps, or a giraffe -- and imagine seeing the world from that animal's point of view.
Book Details
- Author: Judy Allen
- Illustrator: Tudor Humphries
- Genre: Animals
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Larousse Kingfisher Chambers Inc.
- Publication date: January 1, 2000
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 2 - 4
- Number of pages: 28
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate