Snail

by Minu Kim, Mattho Mandersloot (Translator)

A little boy cannot ride a two-wheeled bicycle yet. His older brother leaves him behind to hang out with his friends. The little boy finds a snail slowly climbing up the tree. The snail invites him to a wonderful scenery that he has never seen while catching up with his older brother's back.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

44 pages, Hardcover

Published March 5, 2023

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute Korean picture book with graphic novel elements, about a little kid who wants to cycle along with his big brother and his big friends, but he's too slow and his bike too small, which is understandably quite frustrating for the little brother. To top it off, his big brother calls him a snail.

Little brother gets angry, and then learns a lesson watching and following an actual snail.

The art is very fine, fragile even, using red to make the little brother pop in the black and white art. Very nice.

(Picked up a review copy through NetGalley)

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know one of the joys of parenthood is that it often leads into more grown-up parenting when you get a chance to try all over again as a grandparent.

Half-terms and school holidays are a chance to concentrate your reading on your latest offspring’s needs so I was delighted to come across this delightful book.

One, it is from another culture but childhood is universal. It brought me back further into my own youth when I used to cycle for miles.

This is a story of a younger brother who wants to be part of his sibling’s gang and join those friends when they go into the countryside on a bike adventure. The trouble is both his small cycle and tiny legs mean he cannot keep up. Now his brother in part embarrassment I guess and concern tells the younger one to “go home”.

Beautifully illustrated with fine pencil line drawings. There is little colour but when used it enhances and lifts the story.

Wonderful lessons to be learned and spoken with your own young readers. The fear and anger seem to be dissipated when the young boy has an off road incident and happens across a snail.

Beautifully paced and full of action. A story book with sufficient words and real life emotions to make it a book your children will return to time and time again and never tire of among those books they treasure.

[Ema · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it's not easy to comprehend the story. Looking at pictures and talking about related examples is a way to explore the issues that can arise. When it comes to sibling rivalry, as parents we must have a way that suits our children. Some are used to slow implementation and others may struggle to understand the issues.

Snail or tortoise is a popular symbol of struggling group in our life chain. Despite our slowness, the most important thing is that you're learning a new thing.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the earc. I give 3.5 ⭐️

[Kirsten - Children's Library Lady]

During a bike ride, a young boy gets left behind by his brother and friends. Feeling lonely and lost, he encounters a friendly snail slowly climbing a tree. The snail invites him to a wonderful world he has never seen before, transforming his disappointment into an exciting adventure.

Snail opens up a conversation about coping with feeling left out or misunderstood, finding joy in small things, and how unexpected encounters can lead to great adventures. It also encourages children to appreciate nature and its slow pace, promoting mindfulness and patience.

Discussion Questions:
How does the young boy feel when his friends leave him behind? Can you relate to his feelings?
What changes in the boy's mood and perspective after meeting the snail?
Why do you think the snail's slow pace and unique worldview are important to the story?
Have you ever found joy or learned something new from an unexpected situation?
How does this story help us understand the importance of nature?
Why is patience important, as shown in the boy's interaction with the snail?

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gentle and beautifully formed and illustrated story ; a young boy wants to go cycling with his older brother but soon gets left behind from the group. His frustration begins to grow until he encounters a snail.

This is a metaphorical tale in many ways about living in a world of speed - trying to keep up with expectations but when you stop , slow down and engage with the natural environment around then the realisation you have all you need.
Minu Kim’s illustrations exude an energy and calm and are hypnotising . Mattho Mandersloot’s translation is succinct but beautiful. All credit to Pushkin Press for bringing this South Korean gem to a wider audience

The snail is perfectly pitched and will be a gentle bedtime read but also a book worth talking about with young listeners / readers . Highly recommended to EYFS / nursery classes

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spinning off from a kind of 'tortoise and hare' story to have a moral that is a bit too Zen and mindful for the likes of me, this is still a not unimpressive picture book. A kid is berated by his older brother and friends for being a slowpoke on his pushbike – he is not allowed to join them on their ride. When an accident happens, however, he has a revelatory experience – which, when it turns the black-and-white-with-a-nub-of-red palette into something else is quite impressive. I really don't think the end message on the dedicatory page that closes this makes a hill of sense, which is a pity as that seems the core of the message, but before then this was fine. Three and a half promising stars for this debut in the form.

[Sharni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snail is a sweet story following a young boy who tries to follow his older brother and his friends on a bike ride, but he in unable to keep up and is left behind. He encounters a snail who is slowly climbing a tree, and learns that sometimes you need to do things at your own pace, slow down, and enjoy the world around you.

I read this with my son and we both really loved it. The illustrations were really lovely, and I loved the use of the black and white colour scheme with the pops of red. The pages with no text were really beautiful to look through to tell the story, and my son was really engaged. Also really liked finding a picture book for us to read which has been translated from Korean.

[Freya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very short and simple story.

Minimalistic drawings with only a splash of color here and there, accompanied a story I didn’t fully understand.

I liked most of the story and the illustrations really fit it well.

A little boy tries to follow his big brother and his big friends, but fails to. It makes him upset until he finds a snail and sees the most beautiful (my favorite illustrations) sunset. I think I got what that meant but then at the end there’s some text I didn’t really get.

Although a little confusing, this was an okay read I would recommend for kids who like short and simple stories, with little text and room for interpretation.

Thank you NetGalley, for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely little quick read.

I'd say more of a picture book, or graphic novel style book, so not too many words.

The little boy is out on his bike with his brother and friends - his bike is too small to keep up and soon gets left behind.
But on finding a little snail climbing a tree, he realises that he can find his way back home by following nature and the sky.

This is a cute story and one that will be grabbed out over and over again.

I loved the illustrations which although had quite a lot in them, still felt quite simple and clear.
Mainly black and white, maybe pencil drawn, there was the odd pop of colour that drew the eye to certain points.

A nice quick read - great for sharing at storytime.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 2 out of 5]

This picture book has minimalist illustrations, with lots of black, white, and red. The story follows a young child who can't keep up with his big brother and friends, and who feels discouraged and angry. He discovers a snail, slows down to see some natural beauty, and then goes back on his way. There's a paragraph of text from the author at the end that's supposed to be profound and encouraging, but it just seemed confusing and random. This may be partly because it's translated from another language, but I didn't think the message sticks well, and the whole book felt disjointed and abrupt to me.

I received a temporary digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Raisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snail is a cute story about a little boy who is riding his bicycle with his brother. His older and friends are riding their bikes and little brother start farther behind without unable to keep up. Little brother meets a snail and he realizes there is more than keeping up. Life is sometimes about slowing down and enjoying what is around us. The illustrations are very detailed with a splash of color.


Thank you NetGalley, Pushkin Press and Pushkin Children’s Book for sending me an ARC in exchange of an honest review of the book received.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small boy cannot keep up with his older brother's pack of friends. Just when he's getting frustrated about being so slow, a snail teaches him that sometimes it's best to take it easy and enjoy the scenery. This is a sweet, simple book. I really liked the author's unusual, mostly monochromatic artwork.



Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Children's Books for the read.

[Susanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, Pushkin Children's Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This simple and short children's book offers stunning illustrations - black and white with occasional pops of red - but we struggled with the story. A young boy cannot keep up with his older brother and an encounter with a snail teaches hime the beauty of going through life more slowly. I think the story may have lost a bit in translation, both I and the young kids I read it with were left a bit puzzled.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book via NetGalley and I think some of the message is lost in translation. The black-and-white illustrations are fine with an occasional splash of red then two gorgeous pages at the end. Most of the story is a bummer for the slower younger brother. The payoff of the book is at the end, and I’m just not sure the author sticks the landing… the message seems to be profound but is a bit clunky and disjointed from the rest of the book.

[Abby (the_rainydayreader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Snail" is a simple, sweet story about the struggles of a little boy trying to keep up with his older brother and his friends on their bikes. It has very detailed line drawings with hints of red here and there to draw attention to certain things on the page. The illustrations and the text are beautiful, but and I don't know if it's a book that many children will be drawn to. Also, I don't think the overall message is portrayed clearly enough in the end,

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the illustrations. However if you're looking for a bright and cheerfully illustrated book, this is not it. The images are excellent, but not cheerful, it does add some color as the story progresses. I'm not sure if youngsters will grasp the moral of the story. I felt like the ending was rather abrupt and incomplete. I like the message the book conveys, but not sure the audience this is geared towards will get it.

[Ainun Zahra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe because I have so many friends who are the youngest at home, I could feel the essence of Snail deeply. It’s the kind of book I’d love to pass on to my kids someday—a quiet reassurance that they can grow at their own pace, and that even if nobody wants to sit and listen, they’ll always have a friend in nature.

The illustrations are simple yet meaningful, perfectly complementing the serenity of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the review copy!

[Emma Minazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute read, it shows the importance of learning to slow down. Take each moment as it comes, don't rush to finish something, take it in your stride, take time with it. However big or small you are or the situation, slow down, calm down and do it in your own pace.

Cute, thought provoking read, nice illustrations, the red bits being the important bits in the cartoon. Would recommend this book

[Rebecca]

I am always sold on a story about a snail.

The artwork in this book was simple and I really enjoyed the inking technique.

Overall, a good read to help teach and remind children that some days aren't the greatest and sometimes the best thing to do is simple stop and look.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

[Anita Salát · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stunning graphics - I loved the black-and-white visual world with the striking red. At first I was in the dark with the story though. It took some time to understand what the snail has to do with the brothers, and I'm still not OK with this.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, mostly wordless story about a younger brother trying to keep up with his older brother and friends. I liked the use of black and white with only small accents of red.

ARC from Netgalley.

[Adriana Martinez Figueroa]

Read through Edelweiss, thank you Pushkin Children's Books!

[Alison Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really beautifully illustrated and sweet story about a younger sibling and the struggles and emotions associated with “keeping up.”

[Alain Bitton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful children's book which reminds you the importance of taking time in life

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5. The story is a bit thin. Even with the nice message it try to pass on, that didn't really work for me. That being said, the art is incredibly beautiful!

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful and much - needed book that teaches children not to be overly competitive. In this neoliberal world, this book carries an important message.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art is great; the spare story good, but the resolution was hurried and a little confusing.

[pvp_Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very cute and heartwarming picture book about the importance of slowing down to find self-care and the beauty around you.

Interestingly, I think this book can both be read very quickly and very slowly. The illustrations are mostly black and white lineart with a few red accents to focus our attention. There are quite a few very wide and detailed, double-page panoramas in this book and very little text. You can decide to focus on the main event and ride through the story or you can choose to linger over the small details that are often very far from where the plot happens, e.g. looking at the children on the playground (even though the main character is not even there) and finding a lot of micro-stories there, or check out all the different plants in garden patches. I think this makes this book possible to be re-read a lot of times, and each time a different experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC.