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Snail & Worm #1
Snail & Worm: Three Stories About Two Friends
Combining deceptively simple art with clever wordplay, Snail & Worm—told in three comical, episodic shorts and ranging in topic from adventuring to having pets—will have both girls and boys delighting in the friends' silly antics, making it a perfect book for readers transitioning between picture books and chapter books.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2016
3 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
February 6, 2017
Online reviews are comparing these two new friends to Frog & Toad, Elephant & Piggy, and George & Martha and those reviews aren't wrong...but they're not quite right, either.
Like those delightful BFFs, these two garden-variety bugs hang out and do things that are unintentionally funny. In this case, however, Snail is rather dim. Maybe just misunderstood. It might have an artistic soul. Worm is patient and encouraging. Or maybe also dim. Or maybe just the straightman (although worm! They're all wriggly! Not straight!) It doesn't matter. What matters is Snail does its own thing and worm is often bemused and the reader gets to grin at the jokes that are accessible to the smalls as well as full-grown readers.
For instance, classic joke that never gets old and absolutely delights first-time recipients:
(I was supposed to write and ask for permission to use that and I didn't so I could get busted for being a terrible librarian but I really wanted this review to go out so that people buy this book! I'm actually helping you, HMH!)
This is what we used to call a Beginning Chapter Book for early readers who are transitioning to reading short stories. Now we just call them Easy Readers and this would be a beginning level, though there's no early reader series or level attached. However, OCLC says the Lexile reading level is BR and it's for Accelerated reader 1.2
It works just as well as a read-to-someone book, though. I read it to myself and loved every second.
Like those delightful BFFs, these two garden-variety bugs hang out and do things that are unintentionally funny. In this case, however, Snail is rather dim. Maybe just misunderstood. It might have an artistic soul. Worm is patient and encouraging. Or maybe also dim. Or maybe just the straightman (although worm! They're all wriggly! Not straight!) It doesn't matter. What matters is Snail does its own thing and worm is often bemused and the reader gets to grin at the jokes that are accessible to the smalls as well as full-grown readers.
For instance, classic joke that never gets old and absolutely delights first-time recipients:
(I was supposed to write and ask for permission to use that and I didn't so I could get busted for being a terrible librarian but I really wanted this review to go out so that people buy this book! I'm actually helping you, HMH!)
This is what we used to call a Beginning Chapter Book for early readers who are transitioning to reading short stories. Now we just call them Easy Readers and this would be a beginning level, though there's no early reader series or level attached. However, OCLC says the Lexile reading level is BR and it's for Accelerated reader 1.2
It works just as well as a read-to-someone book, though. I read it to myself and loved every second.
April 19, 2022
Snail and Worm decide to give up their imaginary pals and become fast friends in this trilogy of tales.
A more entertaining and splendiferous pair you may never find!
A more entertaining and splendiferous pair you may never find!
July 13, 2016
I didn't get this book at all. Yes, there was some humor, but I felt it was more for the adults who would be reading this with their children, than it was for the kids. The first story didn't have an ending and the other two were just weird and goofy. There are much better picture books out there about friendship than this one.
December 25, 2017
Delightfully fun to read out loud.
May 22, 2016
Hysterical! The "learning-to-read" set will love this! (The characters sound just like them!) More books to come! YAY!
May 8, 2016
Every once in awhile you come across an early chapter book that is smart. It's written for the intended audience so they will love reading and find it accessible. This is one.
August 23, 2019
These guys are so silly in a way that gets kids to infer and explain that I'd even say I like them more than elephant and piggie! I think the kids will like them too (although maybe not more than elephant and piggie).
June 6, 2024
Top tier humor. My son and I love this book and read it before bed every night and the stories crack us up every time.
December 24, 2016
Kugler, Tina. Snail & Worm: Three Stories About Two Friends. PICTURE BOOK. Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 2016. $16.99.
Snail is playing with a rock and a stick when Worm comes by. They become friends and Worm encourages Snail to climb a flower. Worm is very proud when Snail gets to the top, but how will he get down? In the last story, Snail and Worm introduce their pets, Worm’s pet named Sam (who is a dog) and Snail’s pet dog Rex (who is a spider).
Fans of Mo Willem’s Elephant and Piggie books will latch onto these two new friends. The stories are humorous with charming conclusions. Kugler’s illustrations have the same appealing simplicity of Elephant and Piggie books, but with more details in the backgrounds.
Pre-K, EL-ADVISABLE. Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...
Snail is playing with a rock and a stick when Worm comes by. They become friends and Worm encourages Snail to climb a flower. Worm is very proud when Snail gets to the top, but how will he get down? In the last story, Snail and Worm introduce their pets, Worm’s pet named Sam (who is a dog) and Snail’s pet dog Rex (who is a spider).
Fans of Mo Willem’s Elephant and Piggie books will latch onto these two new friends. The stories are humorous with charming conclusions. Kugler’s illustrations have the same appealing simplicity of Elephant and Piggie books, but with more details in the backgrounds.
Pre-K, EL-ADVISABLE. Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...
May 3, 2016
Simple with overly simplified language. Story is told all in dialogue. It may require some guidance to help very young readers infer who is saying what. On most pages, the speech of Snail is in one color, and Worm's words are in another. But on some pages, the dialogue is printed in white when it's over the green grass.
The three stories are funny; my favorite is "Snail's Adventure."
The three stories are funny; my favorite is "Snail's Adventure."
September 25, 2016
I find this book to have two charming characters, but the humor requires the reader to make lots of inferences from the pictures that the young readers it is aimed at can't make. The text length and vocabulary lends itself to preschool, but teachers would have to do lots of explaining to help the children "get" the jokes.
August 11, 2016
Just .... stupid. Kids deserve better.
January 21, 2017
One of my second grade readers recommended this to me and I love it. These two friends are cute adventures child will connect with and will make readers smile.
January 17, 2019
My 7 year old first grade granddaughter and I love to read together every single day. I decided to order the Amazon Prime Book Box for Zoe and this was one of the book suggested for her age range. Zoe has been struggling with her reading, dyslexia runs in our family...Ducky (me), her mom, TiTi (aunt) and cousins just to name a few all have this amazing gene. So if she has inherited it, that's okay but we needed some fun ways to tackle reading head on and getting cool books in the mail well win win right. So today we cracked open this cutie and started reading it at the doctor's office and say a few folks popping a look to see what we were reading and what was causing her to giggle out loud.
The storylines are both fun and easy for her to read enough of the words that she feels that she is accomplishing reading herself. Score! And the pictures are bright and bold ...Eye Catching. They had her going back for a second time to re-read the book a second time. Score! Not only that when we got home from the doctor's office she asked could she take the book and write her own story based on the pictures. This was something that has me shouting a silent hallelujah and high five. If you know anything about dyslexia or learning differences handwriting can be a struggle. One of the reasons we think she has something going on. She sat for over 2 hours and just wrote her version based on these beautiful bold illustrations. I can not wait to get more books from this author to tease her mind and keep her excited. This book great!
The storylines are both fun and easy for her to read enough of the words that she feels that she is accomplishing reading herself. Score! And the pictures are bright and bold ...Eye Catching. They had her going back for a second time to re-read the book a second time. Score! Not only that when we got home from the doctor's office she asked could she take the book and write her own story based on the pictures. This was something that has me shouting a silent hallelujah and high five. If you know anything about dyslexia or learning differences handwriting can be a struggle. One of the reasons we think she has something going on. She sat for over 2 hours and just wrote her version based on these beautiful bold illustrations. I can not wait to get more books from this author to tease her mind and keep her excited. This book great!
December 2, 2019
Book Title: Snail & Worm
Author/Illustrator: Tina Kugler
Reading Level: LG
Book Level: 1.2
Book Summary:
This is the story of two friends Snail & Worm written in a way that includes interesting presentation of dialogue and organization of dialogue.
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Trait:
Organization- This book series is a great way to introduce young writers to the concept of organization in a piece or writing. It includes great dialogue between the two friends and correct grammar. The two friends have significant dialogue back and forth and it is written and presented in a unique way that could almost be partner read aloud during class.
I think I would read this book aloud and then have students practice partner reading with one person being snail and one being worm. I would then regroup students to discuss how the punctuation in the book changed the way they read the words. I would have students discuss how punctuation can change what the writer is trying to say to the reader of their story. We would then edit a piece of our own writing to include more punctuation that changes the way our reader reads our writing.
Other suggestions: Presentation
This book would also be a great way to encourage students to try dialogue when they aren't quite ready for all of the punctuation that goes with dialogue. An easy mentor text to present dialogue in a manner that is early elementary grade friendly.
Author/Illustrator: Tina Kugler
Reading Level: LG
Book Level: 1.2
Book Summary:
This is the story of two friends Snail & Worm written in a way that includes interesting presentation of dialogue and organization of dialogue.
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Trait:
Organization- This book series is a great way to introduce young writers to the concept of organization in a piece or writing. It includes great dialogue between the two friends and correct grammar. The two friends have significant dialogue back and forth and it is written and presented in a unique way that could almost be partner read aloud during class.
I think I would read this book aloud and then have students practice partner reading with one person being snail and one being worm. I would then regroup students to discuss how the punctuation in the book changed the way they read the words. I would have students discuss how punctuation can change what the writer is trying to say to the reader of their story. We would then edit a piece of our own writing to include more punctuation that changes the way our reader reads our writing.
Other suggestions: Presentation
This book would also be a great way to encourage students to try dialogue when they aren't quite ready for all of the punctuation that goes with dialogue. An easy mentor text to present dialogue in a manner that is early elementary grade friendly.
August 10, 2019
Snail and Worm become friends, Snail climbs a tall flower with Worm's encouragement, and the two friends introduce their pets.
This actually made me laugh out loud in parts. Snail is delightfully oblivious, and Kugler is brilliant with his lines. Kids may miss the full humor (though they'll definitely get enough), but adult readers should get even more. Which is really important when adult readers have to last through multiple re-readings. The illustrations are done in panels, so it is kind of a graphic novel. And the illustration style is quite fun. Very glad I have the next Snail & Worm book on hand to read too. Highly recommended to beginning readers, friend story fans, and adults desperate for a little more in the books they read aloud.
This actually made me laugh out loud in parts. Snail is delightfully oblivious, and Kugler is brilliant with his lines. Kids may miss the full humor (though they'll definitely get enough), but adult readers should get even more. Which is really important when adult readers have to last through multiple re-readings. The illustrations are done in panels, so it is kind of a graphic novel. And the illustration style is quite fun. Very glad I have the next Snail & Worm book on hand to read too. Highly recommended to beginning readers, friend story fans, and adults desperate for a little more in the books they read aloud.
November 19, 2020
First sentence: Hello! Want to play? Let's play! TAG! You are it! Can you catch me? No! No! No!
Premise/plot: This early reader features three stories starring Snail and Worm. "Meet My Friend," the first story has Snail and Worm meeting each other and becoming playmates and friends. "Snail's Adventure," has snail and worm "climbing" a flower and "seeing" the world from a new perspective. "Meet My Pet," the third story, the two are discussing Worm's missing pet. This story is dependent on the illustrations--that's where the humor comes in!
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one! I did. I don't necessarily love the way these two look--the illustrations aren't quite my thing. But the text, the text, works well--really well. By the end of the book, I was delighted with this relationship.
Premise/plot: This early reader features three stories starring Snail and Worm. "Meet My Friend," the first story has Snail and Worm meeting each other and becoming playmates and friends. "Snail's Adventure," has snail and worm "climbing" a flower and "seeing" the world from a new perspective. "Meet My Pet," the third story, the two are discussing Worm's missing pet. This story is dependent on the illustrations--that's where the humor comes in!
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one! I did. I don't necessarily love the way these two look--the illustrations aren't quite my thing. But the text, the text, works well--really well. By the end of the book, I was delighted with this relationship.
April 24, 2018
This was a surprisingly funny book with three extremely short stories about two friends, Snail and Worm. Although each story was funny, I think the second one, “Snail’s Adventure”, was the funniest. I literally laughed out loud!! Overall, Snail and Worm: Three Stories About Two Friends written and illustrated by Tina Kugler was a very cute picture book!
January 29, 2021
The good thing about learning about a new series late in the game is that you get to read a whole bunch without waiting for the next one to come out. It was instant love for me as I read these. As If I don't already miss my grandkids enough, I really wish I could go visit with them just to read the books to them.
Snail and Worm are interesting friends. The three stories in each book are told from their perspective. In the first one here readers learn how they met. In the second, Snail climbs a flower while Worm cheers it on, and in the last one, we meet their pets. Seriously, these are the best!
Snail and Worm are interesting friends. The three stories in each book are told from their perspective. In the first one here readers learn how they met. In the second, Snail climbs a flower while Worm cheers it on, and in the last one, we meet their pets. Seriously, these are the best!
December 5, 2017
Kugler, T. (2016) Snail and worm: Three stories about two friends. Boston, Massachusetts. HMH Books for Young Readers.
This book is quite literally a book filled with three stories of two friends. This book could be really good for kids reading with an older adult to help them understand the puns throughout it. Such as when Worm has a pet dog that snail thinks is a spider and he is scared of it, but snails pet is an actual spider that he thinks is a dog.
This book is quite literally a book filled with three stories of two friends. This book could be really good for kids reading with an older adult to help them understand the puns throughout it. Such as when Worm has a pet dog that snail thinks is a spider and he is scared of it, but snails pet is an actual spider that he thinks is a dog.
February 17, 2018
Snail & Worm are so awesome. This is a fun read aloud, but I'm not sure but I'm not sure it would be so great as a beginning reader. There's not a lot of repetition and the words are not in giant bubbles or anything. Having said that, it's still a super fun read because the story, characters and illustrations themselves are so engaging! Adults will love reading this aloud and more advanced early readers will be able to have fun with this as well.
March 24, 2020
This book consists of three very short, easy-to-read stories.
Snail's Wings - in which Snail thinks he has grown wings and can fly;
The Mirror - in which Snail finds a coin and thinks the image is his own;
Snail is Sad - in which Snail wants his shell to be like other things he sees.
In each story there is a funny ending, and Worm is the stable friend who listens and sympathizes.
Enjoyable stories and wonderful expressive illustrations.
Snail's Wings - in which Snail thinks he has grown wings and can fly;
The Mirror - in which Snail finds a coin and thinks the image is his own;
Snail is Sad - in which Snail wants his shell to be like other things he sees.
In each story there is a funny ending, and Worm is the stable friend who listens and sympathizes.
Enjoyable stories and wonderful expressive illustrations.
June 6, 2017
Utterly and completely delightful. This is the ultimate combination of picture book, first "chapter" book, easy reader at the earliest level, and laugh-out-loud stories. I was thrilled to see that this is only the first of more adventures to com for the charming friends, Snail and Worm, because kids will love this duo and devour their stories.
July 3, 2017
Clever and silly fun for beginning readers. The illustrations are inviting and comedic with warm colors and provide the punch line for the jokes. Each very simple sentence has an accompanying illustration to aid contextual clues. This is one beginning reader that doesn't underestimate its audience. Kids love the device of knowing more than the characters and it works well here.
July 28, 2018
This book was funny! I am an adult and found humor in it, knowing my 7 year old will find it very funny. These two garden species are friends in short, wacky tales. A quick read, even for a beginning reader. Perfect read aloud or classroom book!
I got it as one of two book in an Amazon Prime Book Box subscription.
I got it as one of two book in an Amazon Prime Book Box subscription.
September 12, 2018
This book is comprised of three short stories with very simplistic vocabulary but I'm confused as to who the target audience is. The language is very simple but very few young children will understand the punchlines at the ends of the story and it would probably take a great deal of explaining at the end of these tales for them to get it.
October 22, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book. I really liked the cover because it had the picture of the two main characters on it and the cool illustrations in the background. This was a very humorous book with more to it then just words. The pictures were my favorite part because it went along with the story perefectly.
January 9, 2020
"Snail & Worm" by Tina Kugler, is a compilation of three stories about two friends-Snail and Worm. One thing that makes this book exceptional is the fact that this book is written for beginning readers which is many times hard to find--especially with enjoyable text. It has beautiful illustrations and laugh out loud jokes that will make you and your children laugh.
May 10, 2017
4 1/2 stars An enthusiastic snail and a more observant worm play games, face a challenge and find their missing pets. The humor lies in the gap between what snail thinks is going on and what worm and the reader know is true. (Young Reader)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews