Hello, Friends!

And then there was this quote...

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark." - Charles Spurgeon

That set my imagination alive with slime trails! I wanted to know just how it happened...and that's when I discovered Esther and Solomon—their amazing journey, and also the miracle that landed them on the ark.

Many snail-lifetimes later... and it's a book! It features gorgeous illustrations by Mehrdokht Amini(who also illustrated mine and Charles Waters's DICTIONARY) and is brought to us by the good folks at G.P. Putnam's Sons (an imprint of Penguin Random House). Thank you, thank you!

Reviews

“[W]ritten in Latham’s rhythmic prose and rendered with visual urgency via Amini’s digitally enhanced acrylic-gouache collages….In a sweet biblical retelling with deep resonance, the creators capture the many emotions of seeing a big event through small eyes.” – Publishers Weekly

"[A] sweet retelling of the story of Noah’s ark, from the snail’s perspective…Dramatic illustrations of the billowing skies and storm and then serene waters about to recede will seed some exciting story hour discussions…[T]his tale has a lot to offer for little-snail-that-could devotees. For collections that don’t have Stewart’s It’s Hard to Hurry When You’re a Snail, this works for children of any faith.” – School Library Journal

“The lyrical text and stunning collage illustrations celebrates community and the journey of a lifetime." – Kidsbookshelf.com

“I have never before seen such an amazing take on the Noah's Ark story as Snail's Ark. Irene Latham's text turns the narrative into a lesson on love brave enough to risk all to save a friend…Mehrdokht Amini's lively collage like illustrations in stormy hues pull their weight in conveying the mood of the story…Young readers and listeners will find the tale engaging and the ending satisfying. Reading out loud adults will enjoy all the opportunities for embellishing the words that the book offers. And there is a message for adults. A world of COVID and climate change can feel like a gathering storm with slim chances of survival. What are we doing to help get our fellow humans to safety in these terrifying times? Can we be brave like Esther?” – juliasstardustcaught.blogspot.com

More Snail Goodness!

"Snail" by Langston Hughes

A teeny tiny snail... and a sonnet from Amy Ludwig VanDerwater.

Snail facts & activities

Adorable pics of pet snails! loved by children's author and poet Kathryn Apel—who also has a snail book coming! Click to read more about What Snail Knows.

SNAIL'S ARK is also available as an audiobook!