Love, Escargot

About the Author\nDashka Slater is the New York Times-bestselling author of The 57 Bus, which won the Stonewall Book Award and was a YALSA nonfiction finalist. Her fiction includes The Book of Fatal Errors, the picture book Escargot, which won the Wanda Gag Book Award; Baby Shoes; The Antlered Ship, which was a Junior Library Guild Selection and received four starred reviews; and Dangerously Ever After. She is also an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in Newsweek, Salon, The New York Times Magazine, and Mother Jones. She lives in California.\nSydney Hanson was raised in Minnesota alongside numerous pets and brothers. In addition to her traditional illustrations, Sydney is an experienced 2D and 3D production artist and has worked for several animation shops, including Nickelodeon and Disney Interactive. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and spending time outside with her adopted brother, a Labrador retriever named Cash. She is the illustrator of the Unicorn Princesses series and the picture book, Next to You. Sydney lives in Los Angeles.
www.sydwiki.tumblr.com\nBonjour! Escargot is back, with a magnifique beret and a special invitation.\nFrom New York Times-bestselling author Dashka Slater, with illustrations from Sydney Hanson, Love, Escargot is the third hilarious book in the award-winning Escargot picture book series; perfect for―but not limited to―Valentine’s Day!\nToday is Snailentine's Day, and Escargot is on his way to a party. Will his Snailentine be there? Maybe he will find another snail who also likes to read books and eat salad with a light vinaigrette.\nBut when he arrives at the party, Escargot is greeted not by a snail, but by a vole. Mon dieu! This is not a Snailentine's Day party at all. It is a Volentine's Day party! At first, Escargot wants to hide in his shell, but in the end, he finds a surprising new friend.\nFrom School Library Journal\nPreS-Gr 2-The charming Escargot is back for a Valentine's Day adventure. On his way to a "Snailentine's Day" party, the well-dressed and mannerly snail breaks the fourth wall and invites readers to participate through movement and dancing. A moment of gentle conflict arises when the party turns out to be hosted by a vole instead of a snail, but Escargot quickly overcomes his shyness and makes a new friend when the delightful Volerie invites him to dance. The snail's vivacious monologue naturally invites a French-accented read-aloud, and soft, gently textured illustrations add an endearing touch. Though the narrative could easily ride on the sheer cuteness of its protagonist, Slater elevates it by seamlessly incorporating important themes into the lighthearted text. Escargot models kindness, demonstrates how to cope with daunting circumstances, and even introduces healthy relationship standards in a way that feels just right for a young audience: "Your snailentine should be somebody who makes you feel magnifique." VERDICT Blending sweetness with substance, Escargot's third picture book is a surefire hit for Valentine's Day-themed story times.-Allison Tranα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.