Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator

by Sarah C. Campbell, Sarah C. Campbell (Photographer), Richard P. Campbell (Photographer)

Overview

A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book

Perfect for kids interested in animals, science, and the world of their backyard, this photographic story of a day in the life of a wolfsnail offers a dramatic introduction to a little-known predator and the impact it has on habitats where it does not belong.

On a typical day, the wolfsnail hunts its prey: other snails. Big, strong, and fast (for a snail), the wolfsnail has a taste for meat, and in some areas, it is called the cannibal snail. On the prowl, the wolfsnail finds the slime trail of a smaller snail and follows the path toward its prey. When the chase ends and the dramatic feast is done, nothing remains of the smaller snail... except an empty shell. 

Slithering and suspenseful, this enlightening book also includes amazing facts about the wolfsnail and a glossary.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781590785546
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	05/01/2008
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.38(w) x 10.31(h) x 0.31(d)
Lexile:	540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Sarah Campbell is a writer and photographer with degrees in journalism from Northwestern University and years of journalism experience. She lives in Jackson, Mississippi, with her husband, Richard, and three sons.

Richard Campbell is an executive vice president of a financial institution in Jackson, Mississippi. In his spare time, he is a partner in creative pursuits with his wife, Sarah, specializing in photography, design, and technology.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 3-4- The star of this slim volume is not your common land snail, slipping along its slimy path in search of succulent salads. This is a fierce, speedy (for a snail) predator seeking smaller vegetarian snails and slugs to feed its voracious appetite. Campbell's terse, conversational text follows one such hunt on a damp spring day as a wolfsnail detects, tracks, and engulfs its prey, using its mustachio-style lip extensions as ultrasensory devices. Large, crisp photos record the activity, from the wolfsnail's morning awakening to start the hunt to the denouement of a return to rest. Two additional pages provide further fodder, including mating facts (and a small photo of these hermaphrodites caught in the act). Pair this title with Allan Fowler's more general A Snail's Pace (Children's Press, 1999; o.p.) for an interesting glimpse into a slow-motion world.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

A rosy wolfsnail prowls along a hosta leaf, finding and devouring its prey-another snail. In this introduction to a carnivorous species probably unknown to young readers, striking color photographs of larger-than-life-sized snails accompany a simple straightforward text. Native to the southern United States, wolfsnails have been introduced in Hawaii and other parts of the world where they have become a serious pest. This photo essay, however, concentrates on the animal itself-its curiously shaped head, its ability to follow a trail of slime or hide from a predatory bird, the toothy tongue that allows it to remove the meat from inside a smaller snail. Backmatter includes a list of fast facts, additional information (including mating and reproduction) and a glossary. Sure to encourage early readers and listeners to explore their own backyards for similarly wondrous creatures. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews

"Sure to encourage early readers and listeners to explore their own backyards for similarly wondrous creatures." –Kirkus Reviews

"Even the glossary is fun, with words ranging from cannibal and mollusc to mucus and slug. . . . Will help youngsters discover exciting nature in their own backyards and help them understand the role of predators in the natural cycle." –Booklist

"lt is hard to imagine suspense and drama in a book about the lowly wolfsnail, but this book delivers just that. . . . A unique look at the miniature world of a small predator." –Library Media Connection

From the Publisher