PICTURE BOOKS

A Surprise for Snail

by Petr Horácek (text) & illus. by Petr Horácek
Candlewick. Jun. 2026. 32p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781536251838. PreS-Gr 2
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PreS-Gr 2–It’s Snail’s birthday, and to celebrate, he would like to see the sunset by the sea, but it’s a long way away. Snail starts early. His friends want to help, but they are moving in ways that Snail doesn’t like: too fast and too bumpy. Plus, it’s been a really long trip, so Snail decides to take a nap on a rock, and one final friend decides to help. Horácek’s collage illustrations are bright and cheerful with perfect scenes made from tissue paper that are as upbeat and snappy as the text. Pre-readers and older children will enjoy the small details in the pictures and delight in the ­onomatopoeia and the predictable ending. This is a lovely book celebrating friendship and kindness.
VERDICT A strong choice for any library’s picture book collection.
Reviewed by ­Debbie Tanner , Mar 01, 2026

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