Snail Trail

by Ruth Brown

Join Slimy on a backyard journey. A perfectly satisfying picture story for toddlers and preschoolers!

Join Slimy Snail on an adventure that takes him around the backyard and brings him face-to-face with all sorts of obstacles:
Up a hill (very steep!).
Over a bridge (very high!).
Down a slope (very slippery!).
Here's a snail's-eye view of the backyard and a picture story that introduces the youngest readers to simple directional concepts--and ends with a clever visual surprise!

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens

24 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Born in 1941, Ruth Brown is the creator of some of Britain's best loved children's books. She has created a great many picture books for Andersen Press and is highly respected as an author and illustrator.
She attended Bournemouth College of Art, 1957–59; Birmingham College of Art, degree (with first-class honors), 1961; Royal College of Art, M.A., 1964.
She is married to artist Ken Brown and they have two grown-up sons and one grandchild.

Reviews

[midnightfaerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading A Dark, dark tale, I fell in love with it, and hoped I'd find some more "dark" stories in the Ruth Brown collection. While this isn't dark in any way, it IS, however, a wonderful story with some unusual and completely unique aspects to it. Ruth Brown once again has a flavor all her own with magical illustrations that just pull you into their beauty. The story is adorable, the illustrations are so detailed! My 3 yr old twins and 5 yr old both love Ruth Brown. Just an overall fun book that's a great addition to any children's collection. Highly recommend this author!

[Judith Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this for my three year old granddaughter, who loves snails and slugs and worms.

Beautiful illustrations, and as soon as we’d read it, she wanted to go out in the garden to look for snails! Job done, Ruth Brown! 🙂

[Books, Brews & Booze · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet little children’s book about direction and perspective, to help little ones understand things like “up, down, through, into, over,” etc.

Bonus points because it features a snail (my spirit animal guide and one of my favorite creatures).

I also love the snail’s little derpy eyes 😂

Also, and here’s where the grown-up teaching child part comes in ... the book also teaches about perspective, by showing how what looks like a cave, an arch, a forest to the snail, is actually something much different.

There’s a page at the end that shows the route the snail took, and parents and caregivers can show the child how the snail went through a cave that was really a flower pot! Through an arch that was really a gardening tool, that kind of thing. Super fun and super sweet.

[Portable · Rating 4 out of 5]

This deceptively simple picture book is fantastic for exploring adjectives and describing places. Watch for the perspective shift at the end when it is revealed that the forests, mountains and tunnels Snail has been exploring are actually all part of the garden. Use to talk about journeys and to make maps of different places, or for retelling stories in sequence: which places did Snail visit first?

[Aubrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, but descriptive with rich, natural illustrations.

[Ian McHugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spring 2020 lockdown obsession with garden bugs and creepy crawlies let us to this. A slimy snail goes on an adventure and visits lots of the garden. "Just like our snails Daddy..." Quite!

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's just not a lot of pro-snail books out there, so this book was really welcomed. The art is fabulous, which is exactly what I've come to expect from Ruth Brown, who did exquisite work in her numerous children's books. She does give Our Snail Protagonist a very human expression of worry and a smile, at times, but for the most part, Slimy Snail looks like a proper Snail.

I have to admit, I was trouble picturing where Slimy really was, so the final reveal was greatly appreciated. Okay, so I have never quite gotten a good sense of direction.

You can find this and many other Ruth Brown books at the Internet Archive ... sometimes.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book on perspective

[Aarvik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay read!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute little story. My children and I enjoyed it!

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

A snail travels in the garden.

[Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I are learning French, and we love this one! We read it all the time. :) The illustrations of course are wonderful!

[Nanny B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple story.
Love the last page which showed the path of the snail.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the way the garden is shown from the perspective of a snail and then at the end the kids can trace where the snail went, what it saw and how different it looks from above. Very clever.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could be paired with Step by Step by Diane Wolkstein for stories about small critters. Excellent illustrations from a snail's point of view; complete with a map of the snail's journey.

[Joella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little story for toddlers. If I had a small story group of toddlers I would love to set up a mini snail obstacle course to have them "follow" along with the book while we read it together. But...since I'm doing preschoolers at the moment, I will have to just enjoy this one with a kiddo on my lap.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and little text - a very good book for narrations from those who are still struggling with reading and language comprehension.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost solely pictures and beautiful.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute!

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read at Family Story Time on 5/9/11: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

[Terri London Mabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprise ending!

[Jenna Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely and comical illustrations highlight the travels of an adventurous snail.