Escargot (Escargot #1)

PreS-K--Meet Escargot, a French snail, complete with black beret, striped shirt, and red kerchief. He is on a journey to the end of the book, where there is a delicious salad, "with croutons and a light vinaigrette." Escargot invites a child reader to join him and asks the child to name a favorite animal, before he shares "a very sad thing: Nobody ever says their favorite animal is the snail." Escargot uses his persuasive powers to challenge the reader to view his qualities in a new light and choose him as a favorite pet. For example, the trails he makes are "shimmery" instead of slimy, and his shyness masks a ferocity that he uses to scare away unwanted carrots in his salad. Once Escargot and the reader reach the salad, there's a dreaded carrot in it! Escargot suggests that "on the count of three we will take a very, very, very small bite of the carrot." The snail finds it surprisingly delicious (it's assumed that the reader might, too), and with panache, he declares the reader his favorite animal. With soft, muted colors and a charismatic main character, this title will win many fans. VERDICT A magnifique read-aloud that will charm and delight preschool audiences.--Ramarie Beaver, Plano Public Library System, TX

Winner of the 2019 Kentucky Bluegrass Award!
Winner of the Minnesota Comstock-Gag Award!

Say bonjour to your new favorite animal, the garden snail!...In Hanson's soft, cartoonish illustrations, Escargot's hammy expressions are perfectly in keeping with his gently boastful narrative. Give this charming read-aloud a little extra joie de vivre by reading it in your best French accent. —Booklist

A charming little French snail takes center stage as it entices a child to share a meal.It's hard to imagine an escargot heading toward a salad as destined to be anything other than part of the dish, but this engaging snail upends convention... An unusual, tongue-in-cheek aid to getting children to eat a disliked food—even the dreaded carrot. —Kirkus Reviews

Escargot's voice is parfait, an airy blend of ego and need masterfully balanced in witty and well-turned sentences that leave plenty of room for audiences to get the joke...Trim, controlled pencil and watercolor art gives Escargot the inevitable French sailor's shirt, neckerchief, and teeny beret, but the jaunty guy's wide, sincere eyes reveal the depth of his yearning snail soul—and make for some great comic faces. —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review