The Children’s Book Review | February 3, 2018
Escargot
Written by Dashka Slater
Illustrated by Sydney Hanson
Age Range: 4 and up
Hardback: 40pages
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
ISBN: 978-0374302818
What to expect: Francophilia, Snails, Interactive Reading
For the Francohpile in your life, say Bonjour to Escargot the snail!
Get your French accents ready, because Escargot is a snail with unmistakable charm. Children will love this interactive story about a dashing little snail who wants to be a child’s favorite animal. And who wouldn’t choose the snail? He’s beautiful, (just look at that shell!), he leaves shimmery trails of “shimmery stuff,” and he can pull off a teeny tiny beret like nobody else.
“…Escargot is magnifique! You can kiss me if you want.”
Go along on his journey to the life-changing salad at the end of the book, where Escargot will delight in a perfectly dressed salad with just a few croutons, and absolutely no carrots. But zut alors, what is this? A carrot? Will your child try the carrot with Escargot to see if it’s as bad as he thinks it will be? Together we discover the salad is delicious, and Escargot proclaims your child as his favorite animal.
The spare but cheekily charming prose will make children and parents smile, and the refined watercolor illustrations will easily draw in readers. Everything is very chic and understated, as is befitting this continental French snail. Once you finish, children will want it read again, giving you the perfect chance to refine your French pronunciation.
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About the Author
Dashka Slater has written several picture books, including Baby Shoes and The Sea Serpent and Me, which was a Junior Library Guild Selection. She is also an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in Newsweek, Salon, The New York Times Magazine, and Mother Jones. She lives in California.
About the Illustrator
Sydney Hanson was raised in Minnesota alongside numerous pets and brothers. She has worked for several animation shops, including Nickelodeon and Disney Interactive. She lives in California.
Escargot, by Dashka Slater, was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like Escargot by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Dashka Slater, Picture Book, Snails, and Sydney Hanson.
