The Legend of the Golden Snail

Disappointed. It’s a beautiful book with stunning illustrations & a great story. That’s all neat but I grew up on Animalia & The 11th Hour was my favorite book as a kid so I was expecting that sort of deep meaning & lots of activities. From reading the reviews on here, I thought it was the same sort of book. But sadly, it’s not. Enjoy the story & pictures with your kids & then you can go back & search for the snail symbols on each page. I bought this book bc my daughter loved The 11th Hour & we had so much fun together doing it. I built this book up saying it would be just as good. After we finished, I told her “now we’ll go to the website & see what fun stuff we’re supposed to do with the book”. The main activity on the Graeme Base website designed for this book has been deactivated & there’s a one-sentence blurb basically saying you’re SOL. You can still take the challenge but the augmented reality part doesn’t work anymore. There’s a little book attached to the title page with a Latin foreword & hieroglyphics. I thought “I know Graeme Base books so this will be a code telling us about fun activities to do with the book”. My Latin is rusty so I looked around the internet for hints but couldn’t find much. Finally found an interview with him where he said the hieroglyphs were made up & the little book represents the story the boy is reading. I translated the Latin & it’s not a game or code. Good read but not a good puzzle book & the main feature has been deactivated online.

The illustrations in this book are stunning and dynamic, making it easy to "read" this book to your little one by inferring the story without even looking at the text. This instantly became my 3 year old boy's favorite book, even though the book seems to be intended for kids around elementary school age. The story itself is very much in a boy's style of fantasy, and is also entertainingly cute at times (such as arriving on an island with magic butterfly trees that look thirsty and need to be watered). We originally discovered this book in the library and decided we want to own it, so we bought it here. I highly recommend it!

This relatively short story packs quite a punch. You'll find that the main character uses his imagination (inspired by various living room items) to weave a fantastical story that is about doing the right thing even if it doesn't align with your objectives/life plan. While the author tells the story through text, the most interesting and meaningful conclusions are drawn by the reader spending time looking at the details on each illustration. I'm glad my two young sons asked me to read this to them over and over again, as I discovered much more when I took the time to really think about the images and storyline.

I love all of this author’s work that I’ve read. My kids and I look forward to solving the puzzles that are usually included with the story and pouring over the beautifuly detailed pictures. The stories are endearing and often give you a lot of thoughtful conversation material.

I would like it to be declared if the book was in library circulation. The story itself is fabulous. Thank you.

Illustrations

This is such a beautiful and fun book. I love reading it to my 5 year old daughter. She loves looking for the hidden snail shell on each page.I loved Animalia as a kid. I love Base's style of art.We got this at the library and my daughter asked for it so often that I bought our own copy.There is a cool mini-book in the front cover.

We just gave this to my almost 6 year old grandson. I have never seen him so enthusiastic about a book. He couldn't stop saying how much he loves it and "this is my favorite book". He also loved looking for the snailshell and crossbones in each illustration - he found them all. Then he was excited to go to the website to get the golden snailshells. This book was our introduction to Graeme Base. We'll be getting more of his books. The illustrations are magnificent.

This is the most wonderful book. My Aussie friend recommended it as her 3 boys (3-7) love it and my 3 year old and his cousins love it too.The pictures are beautiful, the story captivating and the best bit of all is the 'Hunt the Snail & Crossbones' in every picture.A shame it's a bit more expensive than your average children's book, but it's still half the price than it is in Australia, and my son reckons it's worth every penny.Makes a beautiful birthday present.

Great Christmas present for a 4 year old boy

The Legend of the Golden Snail is one of those picture books that does not come along too often. It features breathtaking illustrations and an enchanting story about a small boy who sets out to find the Golden Snail and become a Grand Enchanter. Along the way he discovers that the power of kindness and integrity are far greater than being a Grand Enchanter. We absolutely love this story! Perfect for ages 2+. A wonderful addition to any home library.

nice book

This book is an absolute feast for the eyes and the imagination. It is as well-written as it is illustrated and contains a wonderful message at its core.