Snail Crossing

by Corey R. Tabor, Corey R. Tabor (Illustrator)

Overview

In a book that is as cheerful and charming as Snail himself, Corey Tabor tells a winning tale of slow but steady Snail, whose determination and kindness bring him the best reward of all: friendship.

When Snail spies a plump, crisp cabbage across the road, nothing will stop him—not a speeding car or even a hungry crow.

But then kindhearted Snail stops to help a crew of antsy ants in a rainstorm, and he loses his way. It looks like he will never get his treat—until Snail’s new friends come up with an ingenious idea. . . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062878007
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/04/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	269,148
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD480L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Corey R. Tabor is the author and illustrator of the Caldecott Honor–winning Mel Fell and is the three-time Geisel Award winner for Fox Has a Problem, Fox at Night, and Fox the Tiger. His other acclaimed titles include the young graphic novel chapter books Sir Ladybug, Sir Ladybug and the Queen Bee, and Sir Ladybug and the Bookworms; the picture books Ursula Upside Down, Simon and the Better Bone, Snail Crossing, Fox and the Bike Ride, and Fox and the Jumping Contest; and the I Can Reads Fox versus Fox, Fox versus Winter, Fox Is Late, and Fox Plays Ball. Corey R. Tabor lives in Tacoma, Washington, with his wife and son and spends his time making pictures and stories. You can visit him online at coreyrtabor.com.

Corey R. Tabor is the author and illustrator of the Caldecott Honor–winning Mel Fell and is the three-time Geisel Award winner for Fox Has a Problem, Fox at Night, and Fox the Tiger. His other acclaimed titles include the young graphic novel chapter books Sir Ladybug, Sir Ladybug and the Queen Bee, and Sir Ladybug and the Bookworms; the picture books Ursula Upside Down, Simon and the Better Bone, Snail Crossing, Fox and the Bike Ride, and Fox and the Jumping Contest; and the I Can Reads Fox versus Fox, Fox versus Winter, Fox Is Late, and Fox Plays Ball. Corey R. Tabor lives in Tacoma, Washington, with his wife and son and spends his time making pictures and stories. You can visit him online at coreyrtabor.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 09/30/2019

Snail is determined to munch on the delicious-looking cabbage growing in the field across the road (“Cabbage bound! I’m cabbage bound!” he sings). Readers can see there’s big trouble ahead: snail moves at, well, a snail’s pace; cars and trucks are barreling down the forbidding, dark asphalt, and a crow thinks that Snail would make a tasty meal. But looming disaster is averted, and Snail eventually gets the cabbage he seeks, because he’s willing to put his mission on hold momentarily to give refuge—and tea—to some rude ants in a rainstorm (the interior of his shell is as cozy and domestically equipped as can be). Working in digitally finished pencil and wash, Geisel Award–winner Tabor (Fox the Tiger) presents a pink protagonist who’s an endearing mix of stubborn and openhearted, with eyestalks that are by turns steely and befuddled. The author handles the tricky themes of kindness and forgiveness with the lightest of touches (“Terribly sorry,” the ants tell Snail regarding their earlier brusqueness. “Sometimes we get antsy”) and a sweet, loopy storytelling logic. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 01/01/2020

PreS-Gr 2—Snail is a likable protagonist who spots some cabbages and is determined to get one. Unfortunately, the field of cabbages he has spied is all the way across a busy road. Snails of course, are well known for being terribly slow. Nonetheless, he sets off across the road, never thinking about the adventures that await him. He just misses getting squished by a car and is nearly eaten by a crow. Reader gets a sense of Snail's slow pace by the slime trail he leaves behind. At one point he thinks he's traveled so far, but the slime indicates he has gone almost no distance at all. Rather than pointing out his slowness in the text, the slime trail lets the child figure out the joke. Despite being laser-focused on the cabbages, Snail stops to shelter some ants in his shell during a rain shower. In all the hubbub, he gets turned around and slimes his way back to where he started. The grateful ants return the kindness and bring a cabbage right to Snail. The artwork, done in watercolor and pencils, is just right for a picture book—it tells a good part of the story. Tabor's writing is also notable, especially when read aloud. VERDICT This is a wonderfully wacky story of determination, kindness, and friendship that children will love. It's funny and clever and provides a showcase for snails the world over. A must-buy for most libraries.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

School Library Journal

2019-10-09
Why did the snail cross the road? Cabbage. How? That's another story.

While "scooting around" one day, Snail spots a field of scrumptious cabbage on the other side of a dangerous road. The self-assured gastropod approaches the obstacle with a can-do attitude: "Well, you won't stop me!" After traveling for some time—and generating a glistening trail of slime—Snail decides to take a break. Just then, a vehicle in the distance zooms closer. Snail narrowly avoids it. Further perils and delays arise, but the "cabbage bound" hero slimes his way out of them all. Despite all the stress, Snail keeps it kind: He invites a "troop of rowdy ants" inside his shell (and his vintage-decorated living room) to take shelter from the rain. But between the tea and other distractions, will Snail ever make it to his lunch? Though snail-centric, Tabor's story is far from snail's pace: Deft shifts between double- and single-page spreads and other visual cues heighten the drama of the fraught adventure. The cartoon illustrations digitally combine pencil, watercolor, and ink to create beautiful textures. Careful readers may see a visual mismatch between the more-detailed spreads and those set against a white background (e.g., how big is Snail's shell home anyway?). Still, Tabor (of 2019 Geisel-winning Fox the Tiger fame) shines; his clever reversal of expectations will replace any skepticism with a fit of giggles.

A shell of a good time. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews