Snap!

by Mick Manning

There’s a fly buzzing by — “Snap!” Fly is eaten by Frog. Following the food chain, each creature plays its part. Frog is eaten by Duckling, and Duckling is eaten by Pike. Soon Fisherman is polishing off Pike. But is there something even bigger ready to grab Fisherman? This playful book enchants young children with the irresistible refrain of “Snap!” after every page turn, while offering a simple introduction to the concept of food chains. A deliciously wicked surprise ending wraps up this comical, vibrantly illustrated book.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Juvenile, Humor, Storytime

24 pages, Hardcover

First published June 9, 2006

About the author

Manning went to school in Keighley and then studied at at Bradford College. He studied illustration and graphic design at Newcastle Polytechnic (now the University of Northumbria) 1979 - 82 and then illustration and animation at the Royal College of Art London 1984-87 . Later he devised and ran the BA honours Illustration option at the Glasgow School of Art while maintaining a freelance career. In 1998 he resigned to concentrate on writing and illustrating children's books full-time. British artist-illustrators Xavier Pick, Helen Stephens and Mark Hearld number among his ex-students. Manning's first book A Ruined House was chosen by Quentin Blake in The Laureate's Party (Red Fox) as one of his personal top 50 children's books of all time. Manning is known for his collaborations as author and co-illustrator with partner Brita Granström. Books from their young non-fiction series "Wonderwise" won the TES, Silver Smarties and English Association Awards and were also shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prizes (then called The Rhone Poulenc) on three occasions. They won The English Association award again in 2005 with Voices of the Rainforest and again in 2008 with Greek Hero. Their book Yuck! is referenced in the Mike Leigh film Happy Go Lucky. Tail End Charlie, a picture book about his father's Second World War experience as an RAF air gunner during 1944 was shortlisted for, and televised on, the Blue Peter Book Awards 2010. It was also shortlisted for the ALCS Award and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal 2010. Manning is a direct descendant of 18th Century Italian artist Bonifacio Musso, and Musso's London-born son Charles Muss who was himself, among many other things, a British illustrator. In 2011 Mick and Brita won a fourth English Association Award with the follow up to Tail-End Charlie; Taff in the WAAF a fascinating book about his mother's war including her experiences as a Chicksands 'Y' station listener for Bletchley Park. In 2011 he was elected a Fellow of The English Association.

Manning's other children's non fiction picture books include science titles such as: How Did I Begin? (this book looks at the amazing development of a human baby from fertilised egg to birth and was shortlisted for the Rhone Poulenc Prize in 1996) Woolly Mammoth (with the NHM, London), Dino Dinners (with the NHM, London), Nature Adventures and 'What Mr Darwin Saw, (this book about the life of Charles Darwin and his discoveries was shortlisted for the Royal Society's science book prize in 2011.)

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This colorful take on The Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly doesn't end well for any number of characters . . . though I doubt many children will be upset by the conclusion.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rhyming cumulative tale of how the food chain works involving a fly, a frog, a duck, a fish, a man, a bear, and of course a fly! Oh Snap!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for storytimes with toddlers and preschool! The short and repetitive text is ideal for building vocabulary with some great onomatopoeiatic words such as "gobbled" and "guzzled." The illustrations are brightly colored with thick black outlines clearly defining the simple figures. The backgrounds include scibbles in a naive style that will appeal to the preschool set. A note on the CIP page states that the illustrations were done with collage, coloured pencil, and black ink. There are also many opportunities for participation including animal noises, the repeating "Snap!" and swallowing noises.

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another version of the ol' circular "swallowed a fly" story. Each time an animal eats another animal, they go SNAP! (Dex [5yo] even consented to sound out a few words with this book.)

Interestingly enough, humans are not at the top of the food chain in this narrative.

Illustrations are bleh.

[Tricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

was just okay. good pictures, bright and big but seemed to much a copycat of the old lady who swallowed a fly. wonder if the feet of the man sticking out of the bear wouldn't frighten some children?

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told in the style of the-house-that-jack-built, this cumulative tale is the story of a fly who is snapped up by a frog who is then snapped up by a duck, etc, etc...all the way through to a bear. And there's a fisherman in the middle. Makes it interesting.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book where kids can clap their hands as a frog snaps a fly, a pike snaps a ducks, etc. It's also just a little bit wrong... a formula for a good picture book.

[Rachel]

Great book about the food cycle. Ending is funny when the man gets eaten up by the bear. Also good for predicting and sequencing what gets eaten first and so on.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fly is eaten by the frog, the frog is eaten by the duck etc etc. illustrations show exactly what the story mentions. Could be a little bit to literal.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the truly awful cumulative stories that I would have turned into a flannel board with clapping hand motions if I were still doing story times at the library.

Yup. It's that good.

[Jack Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

a funny little story with very clever art. Brilliant for very young readers looking for something fun to read.