Shelby the Flying Snail

PreS-Gr 2—Shelby is frustrated because his view from the ground is limited. He wonders what he'd see if he were inside the flowers. An illustration in Grandpa Gray's book inspires him to build a pair of wings. He becomes airborne when he's wearing the feathers he's collected, but he doesn't know how to stop when the wind starts blowing. Shelby accomplishes his goal when he crash-lands inside a poppy, but when he sees that a hungry Lady Longlegs has made her home there, he decides he will be much happier (and safer) being himself-a small, flightless snail on the ground. Although independence and self-acceptance are themes, children will also learn that questions can be answered with information found in books. Piu's sunny illustrations are filled with lively insects and adventure.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada