The Grasshopper and the Ant at the End of the World

by Benjamin Harper, Fernando Cano (Illustrations)

Grasshopper and Ant aren’t exactly enemies, but they’re certainly not friends. Grasshopper lives for the moment. He likes to practice yoga and rehearse with his band. But Ant keeps messing up Grasshopper’s flow with loud construction. Ant is a planner. He is convinced the world is going to end, so he’s building a bunker. Grasshopper can’t help but be annoyed. But all that changes when disaster strikes! Is it the end of the world? Can Grasshopper convince Ant to help him? In this Far Out Fables adventure, Aesop's “The Ant and the Grasshopper” is retold with a modern twist to create an exciting graphic novel for kids!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2022

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fable is translated to a yoga loving singing grasshopper and a survivalist ant who thinks the end of the world is coming. The moral of the original fable doesn't translate across well but the two differing personalities do become friends.

Miss 7 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A meteor is heading toward the earth, so Ant is building a shelter. Ant tries to warn grasshopper to prepare, but all Grasshopper wants to do is yoga and play tunes with his band. So when a mudslide happens, Grasshopper is unprepared. Thankfully, Ant is willing to take him in at the last moment, but what are they going to do while they wait things out? Practice Yoga and music, of course.

Striking a balance between preparing for the future and living in the now is the theme here.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new spin and twist on the classic tale of the industrious and and the carefree grasshopper. While taking heed and prepping for an upcoming disaster ant warns grasshopper who ignore ant's warning, and is caught off guard and unprepared to ride out the storm.

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art was good, I thought it was cute and the panels flowed well. The story wasn’t to my tastes. I especially didn’t like the doomsday prepped spin they gave this.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that both art and industry proved important, and that the two characters became friends at the end. And I liked that there was additional material to provoke the young reader to think more about the theme afterwards.

It didn't wow me, but I would def. recommend it if you're interested, and I would consider more by the creator.
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Accidentally reread, as part of the theme of Graphic fables & fairy tales in Children's Books, 2024. Like it better the second time. Really want four arms so I can do all the cool stuff that grasshopper can do. But I do wonder why ant only has four limbs.