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The Story of Fish and Snail

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The Story of Fish and Snail

eBook(NOOK Kids)

$7.99

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eBook(NOOK Kids)
$7.99

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Overview

Every day, Snail waits for Fish to come home with a new story.

Today, Fish's story (about pirates!) is too grand to simply be told: Fish wants to show Snail. But that would mean leaving the familiar world of their book—a scary prospect for Snail, who would rather stay safely at home and pretend to be kittens. Fish scoffs that cats are boring; Snail snaps back. Is this book too small for the two feuding friends? Could this be THE END of The Story of Fish and Snail?

Deborah Freedman, author of Blue Chicken, has created a sweet and playful story about friendship that truly jumps off the page.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101639467
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	06/13/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	39 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Deborah Freedman (deborahfreedman.net) is the author of Blue Chicken and Scribble. She lives in Hamden, Connecticut.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Praise for Deborah's first book, BLUE CHICKEN:

"Breathtakingly beautiful meta-illustrations will draw many eyes to this tale of a curious chicken who spills some paint... Delicate and durable, visually sophisticated yet friendly: simply exquisite." —Kirkus, starred review

"Full of surprise and emotion... The book has much to pore over on every page, and children will want to experience the action over and over again." —School Library Journal, starred review

"The spare, poetic text allows the images to shine... this delightful treat emphasizes the joy of breaking free of conventional boundaries and turning accidents into art." —Booklist, starred review

"While the artist is away, the chickens will indeed play, and Deborah Freedman has captured their antics in this book overflowing with joyful fun." —BookPage

"... all will appreciate the sheer joy of a book that celebrates color and innocent mischief." —Horn Book Magazine

Praise for THE STORY OF FISH AND SNAIL:

“The theme of books as doorways into rich new adventures couldn’t be more vividly conveyed, and the resolution of the conflict between two sweet friends provides encouragement for other 'snails' to try new things.” —Publishers Weekly

“…[a] sweet little story…” —School Library Journal

“Freedman’s paintings, brimming with raucous, three-dimensional splashes of color, bring to mind David Wiesner’s Art & Max.” —New York Times Book Review

From the B&N Reads Blog

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Goodnight spoon. Goodnight red balloon. And goodnight to that duplicate copy of Goodnight Moon. The world of children’s literature has never been bigger or more vibrant—wonderful new children’s books are coming out every time you turn around—but parents often end up with the same hungry caterpillars, nutbrown hares and bowls full of mush. While it’s terribly […]

It's meta for beginners, and even if the surreality may float over young heads, they'll relate to the story of friends with differences. Freedman's paintings, brimming with raucous, three-dimensional splashes of color, bring to mind David Wiesner's Art & Max.

The New York Times Book Review - Pamela Paul

Freedman (Blue Chicken) continues to explore the idea of books as worlds unto themselves, playing with representing three-dimensional objects on two-dimensional pages. The timid snail of the title waits in a goldfish bowl that, readers will quickly see, is actually a spread in a picture book. Snail’s friend Fish returns from his daily outing with an invitation: “Ahoy, Snail! Guess what? I found a new book!” Snail’s not interested: “I don’t want to go into other books,” he says. “I like this book.” Despite the offer of a secret treasure and a pirate ship, Snail won’t budge, and the two part ways angrily: “Fine, Snail. Good-bye. The end.” Snail crawls to the edge of his book to see the new book far below, opened to a watery page. “Fish?” he calls uncertainly—and then boldly leaps himself, in a moment of uncharacteristic bravery. The theme of books as doorways into rich new adventures couldn’t be more vividly conveyed, and the resolution of the conflict between two sweet friends provides encouragement for other “snails” to try new things. Ages 3–5. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Deborah's first book, BLUE CHICKEN:

"Breathtakingly beautiful meta-illustrations will draw many eyes to this tale of a curious chicken who spills some paint... Delicate and durable, visually sophisticated yet friendly: simply exquisite." —Kirkus, starred review

"Full of surprise and emotion... The book has much to pore over on every page, and children will want to experience the action over and over again." —School Library Journal, starred review

"The spare, poetic text allows the images to shine... this delightful treat emphasizes the joy of breaking free of conventional boundaries and turning accidents into art." —Booklist, starred review

"While the artist is away, the chickens will indeed play, and Deborah Freedman has captured their antics in this book overflowing with joyful fun." —BookPage

"... all will appreciate the sheer joy of a book that celebrates color and innocent mischief." —Horn Book Magazine

Praise for THE STORY OF FISH AND SNAIL:

"This marvelous metabook shines in both concept and beauty."—Kirkus, starred review

“The theme of books as doorways into rich new adventures couldn’t be more vividly conveyed, and the resolution of the conflict between two sweet friends provides encouragement for other 'snails' to try new things.” —Publishers Weekly

“…[a] sweet little story…” —School Library Journal

“Freedman’s paintings, brimming with raucous, three-dimensional splashes of color, bring to mind David Wiesner’s Art & Max.” —New York Times Book Review

From the Publisher

K-Gr 2—Fish and Snail live in a book. Fish ventures forth to other books daily and brings back stories. When Fish urges a reluctant Snail to come out and experience the adventures firsthand, they have a fight that threatens their friendship, but bravery and fun ultimately prevail. The story is told almost entirely in dialogue, emphasizing emotions. The illustrations, though gently rounded and softly colored, are highly expressive and full of cinematic angles. Especially effective is the page by page "zooming in" as the conflict between Fish and Snail builds. The imaginative power of books is implied, but the concept of self-aware characters that visit other books might be too abstract to be appreciated by some children. This is an odd, sweet little story, appropriate for large collections or where friendship stories are in high demand. Refreshingly, readers never learn the gender of either character, and the book will be especially useful where non-gendered stories are desired.—Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

School Library Journal

Right from the title page, Freedman's latest makes a splash. Atop a black-and-white stack of closed books sits one open book with blue pages fluttering like waves. A yellow fishtail disappears into the page, splashing water into the air above the books. This book happens to be a watery world (fish tank?) where, every day, Snail waits for Fish "to come home with a story." Fish offers one with "a whole ocean, and a secret treasure, and a pirate ship"--but rather than telling it, "I want to show you this time, Snail!" Nope--Snail won't go. They fight; Fish departs. Highlighted against the closed books and unobtrusive, black-and-white bookshelves in the background, Fish and Snail's watercolor world looks clear and fine. But with Fish gone, "[h]ow can this be The Story of Fish & Snail?" Snail peers downward over the edge of the towering pile of books, where Fish has disappeared with a quiet "plimp." Fish's body, far below, appears murkily underwater inside the daunting new book. "F-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-S-H!" cries Snail, launching bravely into the air. Water splashes the whole height of the pile as Snail plunges into the new book. Fish peeps around a page's corner, ready for reconciliation and adventure. Texture, scale and angle accentuate the exciting difference between the in-book worlds and the pale library background. This marvelous metabook shines in both concept and beauty. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews