FICTION

Snail, Where Are You?

by Tomi UNGERER
Snail, Where Are You? illus. by Tomi Ungerer. 32p. Phaidon. 2015. Tr $14.95. ISBN 9780714867991.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—First published in 1962, Ungerer's classic concept book has been repackaged for a new generation of children. The nearly wordless picture book invites readers to search for snails hidden within each illustration. These are not outright depictions of snails, but rather spiral shapes, like those of a snail shell, seamlessly blended into Ungerer's creative—albeit eccentric—drawings. Thus, snails can be found in all sorts of odd and unlikely places, such as ocean waves, the curled-up trunk of an elephant, and the circular pattern on the ice made by a twirling figure skater. The result is a clever and unusual picture puzzle challenge, in which children are asked to conceptualize the shape of a snail and find it hidden throughout a varied set of madcap pictures.
VERDICT Despite their simple lines and colors, the illustrations are whimsical and bright, and their imaginative quirkiness elevates Ungerer's work from standard concept book fare to a more noteworthy, thought-provoking, and unique experience.
Reviewed by Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY , Jun 01, 2015

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