The Snail and the Whale

The Snail and the Whale is a children's book by former children's laureate Julia Donaldson, illustrated by longtime collaborator Axel Scheffler. It has won several awards, including 2004 Early Years award for the best pre-school book, the 2005 Blue Peter award for Best Book to Read Aloud, and the 2007 Giverny award for Best Science Picture Book. The Snail and the Whale has also been adapted into an audiobook, a successful stage play and translated into British Sign Language.

Donaldson has said that it is one of her favourite books, due to its similarity in rhyming style to the works of Edward Lear, of which she was particularly fond as a child.^[1]

Plot

A little snail lives in a flock, on a rock by the docks, and longs to see the wider world. After writing an advert for a lift wanted around the world, a humpback whale arrives one night and offers to take her travelling. The pair see many sights along their way until one day the whale, confused by the noise of a group of racing speedboats, swims into a bay and is left beached by the retreating tide.

In an effort to help her friend, the snail crawls to a nearby school, and asks for help by writing on the blackboard. The children fetch the emergency services, and the local people and the fire department help to keep the whale wet until the tide turns, and the whale and the snail are able to refloat and swim safely away.

They return to the snail's home in the docks, where the other snails are suitably impressed by the travellers tales, and the whale offers to take them all away to travel around the world.

Recognition

Early Years award for the best pre-school book, 2004^[2] Blue Peter award for Best Book to Read Aloud, 2005^[3] Giverny award for Best Science Picture Book 2007^[4]

The audio book won the 2004 Spoken Book gold award for best audio for 6 and under.

Adaptations and Editions

The book is currently available as a paperback, a board book, a colouring book, an activity and sticker book, a magnetic book and a 'Read Along' book with an accompanying tape.

The audio book is read by actress Imelda Staunton

The Snail and the Whale was adapted for the stage by the theatre company Tall Stories in 2012, and has been on tour around the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.

Reviews

The reviews for The Snail and the Whale are overwhelmingly positive, both critically and from the general public.

The Times called it: Bold and brilliant, wise and wacky.

The Guardian said it was a joy to read aloud, and included it a list of best children's books for ages 2 to 4.^[5]

It currently receives 4.28 out of 5 stars on goodreads and 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and 5 stars on mumsnet.

Other

A poem on the authors website about 'A Day in the Life' features the creation of The Snail and the Whale:

Tea in bed. Second cup.
Dislodge cats. Get up.
Son to school. Spouse to work.
Sit at desk – mustn’t shirk.
Scratch head. Dream up snail.
Maybe team her up with whale?
Chew pen. What next?
Can’t think. Feel vexed.
Feed cats. Open post.
Read it, over slice of toast.
Little boy wants to know
Date of birth of Gruffalo.
Little girl wonders why
Giant gave away his tie.
Out to shops. Get idea
(Big grin, ear to ear):
Brilliant climax – whale gets beached!
(Rhyme a problem . . . reached? Beseeched?
Leeched? Well never mind, just now.)
Snail then rescues whale – but how???
Back home, get stuck.
Go off snail. Consider duck.
Phone rings. Who is it?
School, requesting author visit.
Check diary . . . shocked to see
“Monday, Brookwood Library”.
That’s today! Leap in car.
Thank goodness, not far.
Tell a story, act and sing.
Kids join in with everything.
(Teacher sits there marking books,
Blind to my accusing looks.)
Answer questions. Back to house.
Joined by son, later spouse.
Open bottle. Cook salmon.
Practise piano. Play Backgammon.
Have bath - that’s when
Inspiration strikes again:
Snail could learn to write with slime!
(Quite an easy word to rhyme.)
Crawls on blackboard, leaves a trail . . .
Children run and save the whale.
Story planned! Tomorrow, start
Writing it – the easy part.

^[6]

Trivia

In one picture in the book, a child outside the school is drawing a Gruffalo in the dirt. This was the idea of illustrator Axel Scheffler, and has since become an inside joke repeated in many of their collaborative books published since.^[7]

References

External links

• BSL video of The Snail and the Whale
• Tall Stories stage adaptation