A Book for Escargot

by Dashka Slater, Sydney Hanson (Illustrator)

Overview

AN INDIE BESTSELLER ● A cute French snail searches for the book of his dreams in this laugh-out-loud second picture book in the bestselling Escargot series.

Bonjour! Escargot is going on a trip to the library, where there are so many stories to choose from. Sadly, none of these tales are about daring—and adorable—snail heroes who save the day. But when Escargot asks you for help creating a fabulous story of his own, perhaps this could become just the book he’s been looking for.

From New York Times–bestselling author Dashka Slater and former Pixar animator Sydney Hanson, A Book for Escargot is an irresistibly sweet and charming story that subtly teaches kids how to write their own magnifique story. This hilarious and interactive addition to the award-winning Escargot series is the ideal read aloud for story time and animal lovers alike.

Don’t miss Escargot’s other funny and heartwarming adventures for kids ages 4-6 in:

● Escargot (also available as a board book for babies and toddlers up to 3 years old)

● Love, Escargot (also available as a board book for babies and toddlers up to 3 years old)

● Escargot and the Search for Spring (also available as a board book for babies and toddlers up to 3 years old)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374312862
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	04/07/2020
Series:	Escargot
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	107,895
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD570L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 6 Years

About the Author

Award-winning journalist Dashka Slater has written for such publications as The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, Salon, and Mother Jones. Her New York Times-bestselling young-adult true crime narrative, The 57 Bus, has received numerous accolades, including the Stonewall Book Award, the California Book Award, and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor. It was a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Finalist and an LA Times Book Award Finalist, in addition to receiving four starred reviews and being named to more than 20 separate lists of the year’s best books, including ones compiled by The Washington Post, the New York Public Library, and School Library Journal. In 2021, The 57 Bus was named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. The author of fifteen books of fiction and nonfiction for children and adults, Dashka teaches in Hamline University’s MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults program. She lives and writes in Oakland, California.

Sydney Hanson was raised in Minnesota alongside numerous pets and brothers. In addition to her traditional illustrations, Sydney is an experienced 2D and 3D production artist and has worked for several animation shops, including Nickelodeon and Disney Interactive. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and spending time outside with her adopted brother, a Labrador retriever named Cash. She is the illustrator of the Unicorn Princesses series and the picture book, Next to You. Sydney lives in Sierra Madre, California.

Editorial Reviews

AN INDIE BESTSELLER

An Amazon Best Book of the Year

A BestReviews Best Book of the Year

A Kids' Indie Next List Pick

"Hanson’s soft, colorful illustrations draw readers into Escargot’s miniature world as Slater’s wonderfully silly story is presented through a direct conversation between snail and reader—an incredibly engaging choice . . . Escargot is a treat!" —Booklist

"Hanson’s illustrations are warm and inviting, making Escargot the cuddliest snail ever . . . A fun interactive book that will have readers practicing their own over-the-top French accent." —School Library Journal

"Lovely and lovable through and through, A Book for Escargot will be a favorite. The book is a must for home, classroom, and public library collections. And don’t miss the original, Escargot. While each story stands alone, these two books go together like butter and . . . well . . . you know!" —CelebratePictureBooks.com

More Praise for the Escargot Series:

"Escargot’s voice is parfait." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review, on Escargot

"Say bonjour to your new favorite animal, the garden snail! . . . Give this charming read-aloud a little extra joie de vivre by reading it in your best French accent." —Booklist on Escargot

"It’s easy to be won over by this mighty mollusk." —Kirkus Reviews on Love, Escargot

"It was love at first sight for this magnifique book." —New York Journal of Books on Love, Escargot

From the Publisher

04/01/2020

K-Gr 2—Escargot is a slippery snail bursting with personality. He likes kisses, salad, and books. However, when he wants to spice up his lunch menu, he slowly searches for a cookbook and a new recipe, leaving a trail of slime in his wake. Unfortunately, the book he finds is inspired by Julia Child's Art of French Cooking. Its signature recipe? Escargot! Along his journey, Escargot encourages readers to give him kisses and pep talks. The interactivity may amuse younger readers, while older readers will either groan at or laugh at the snail-inspired book puns like Harry GastroPodder and the Chamber of Salads. Hanson's illustrations are warm and inviting, making Escargot the cuddliest snail ever. VERDICT This installment lacks the simplicity of Escargot's debut (Escargot), but it is still a fun interactive book that will have readers practicing their own over-the-top French accent.—Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill Public Library, MA

School Library Journal

2020-01-21
A Francophone snail struggles to find itself in a story.

Escargot, a cartoon snail in a blue-and-white–striped shirt, a red kerchief, and a black beret, immediately breaks the fourth wall, opening with: “Bonjour! I see you are reading a book. I will try not to distract you.” (The “you” here at the end is revealed to be a smiling black child holding a paintbrush. It’s all very meta.) Of course, what follows is a meandering distraction. Escargot first talks about different books “you” might like, then laments the lack of vibrant, positive snail representation in these stories. Escargot then brags about itself, imagining that “you” are addressing it: “The main character of a story must have a problem, Escargot! You are so handsome, suave, and smart. What problem could you possibly have?” (The proliferation of “you”s here, referring to very distinctly different “you”s, will pose a challenge to young readers not totally conversant with the conventions of dialogue.) The problem turns out to be that Escargot is tired of salads. The ensuing adventure involves finding a French cookbook, learning that snails could be on the menu, and deciding that the only way to save the day is to eat the cookbook. It’s barely even a story, and the annoyingly grandiose narrator is likely to lead non-Francophones to attempt a mocking French accent during read-alouds, an exhausting gag that tires itself out.

Like the eponymous dish, this will whet limited appetites. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews