Snail Has Lunch

Gr 1–3—Snail loves his ordinary life. He eats the same meals every day, enjoys a cozy home—an old rusty bucket—and loves the monotony that comes along with both. When Snail's friend Ladybug tries to convince him to leave his bucket for the first time and join her for lunch in the garden, Snail declares that he has everything he needs and would rather not leave. But the very next day, a farmer comes to use Snail's bucket and unknowingly disrupts the creature's predictable lifestyle by accidentally dumping him out onto the ground. Ladybug reappears to find Snail scared and alone and takes him on a journey through the garden, exploring and sampling tasty vegetable and fruit delights. He makes friends with Gopher and Rabbit, tastes delicious strawberries for the first time, and unwittingly takes a bite of a hot pepper. This is a gentle tale about taking chances and trying new experiences, even if one does not feel ready to leave behind what's familiar to potentially try something different. There are a few unexpected twists, and Peterson's bright illustration style keeps the story light and entertaining, as do Snail's varied expressions of contentment, fear, excitement, disgust, and surprise.