Snail Trail

by Ziggy Hanaor, Christos Kourtoglou (Illustrator)

Overview

A timely and relatable tale about the importance of connecting to the introvert inside.

"Come for the empathetic storytelling. Stay to pore over the inventive ways in which the Greek illustrator Kourtoglou anthropomorphizes snails." — The New York Times

"A refreshingly empathetic portrayal of introversion." — Kirkus Reviews

Marjorie is a happy snail. She loves her family and friends, but sometimes she just needs a bit of alone time. At these moments, Marjorie wanders off to try to find a quiet space, but her friends and family just follow her trail of slime and find her.

‘How can I find some space for myself?’ wonders Marjorie, and as she wonders, she wanders, here and there, back and forth, this way and that until she is entirely and marvellously lost. But the joys of solitude are short lived, and Marjorie swiftly realises that she can’t find her way back. Luckily, she stumbles on a good friend who helps her on her way and offers her some sage advice. 

A natural follow on from the critically acclaimed ‘Pocket Chaotic’, this simple, layered story is exquisitely brought to life by Christos Kourtoglou, an emerging Greek illustrator with a distinctive watercolour style. It addresses the disjunction that kids and adults feel (particularly in a post-lockdown era) between our introvert and extrovert selves.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781800660311
Publisher:	Cicada Books
Publication date:	05/02/2023
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.42(w) x 9.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Ziggy Hanaor is a writer and editor living in London. She is the author of Pocket Chaotic, Fly Flies, Alex & Alex and Alte Zachen (Cicada).

Christos Kourtoglou is an illustrator and a graphic designer living in Athens. He has worked for many respected clients such as Ikaros Publishing and Greek Festival. He is the illustrator of For a Free Life and What is Democracy?, both published by Metaixmio Publishing in Greece.

Editorial Reviews

"Marjorie the snail seeks solitude when she feels sad or thoughtful. Or when she simply finds “everyone else a bit too much.” This tranquillity affords her sensory delights, such as “the whisper of the wind and the hum of life all around.”

One day she gets lost. But instead of having someone rescue Marjorie and take her home, Hanaor has her encounter a friend who understands the joy of sitting “in silence in the sun.”

Come for the empathetic storytelling. Stay to pore over the inventive ways in which the Greek illustrator Kourtoglou anthropomorphizes snails." — The New York Times

"What do you do if you’re a snail in need of space but well-meaning people keep finding you?

Marjorie enjoys time with her family and friends, but sometimes she just needs to be alone… to be thoughtful or sad or simply apart from what has become “too much.” But no matter what new hiding spot she tries, somehow she’s always found. 

That’s because Marjorie is a snail, and snails leave trails everywhere they go. After much wandering, though, Marjorie may have found the perfect spot. But can she find her way home again once she’s regained her equilibrium? Luckily, her friend Bernard saves the day, twice in fact, as he tells Marjorie his secret to not leaving a trail others can follow. Bernard is happy to share his relaxing spot; sometimes the two play a game, sometimes they’re just “alone, but together.” 

Marjorie’s bright blue shell is easy to pick out in the watercolor illustrations. The female snails have prominent eyelashes or hair bows or hats; Bernard sports red glasses. Oddly, most of the plants in the snails’ world are potted, and the snails have hair on their heads. However, it’s nice to see a book about introverts where they don’t have to conform to others’ expectations. A refreshingly empathetic portrayal of introversion." — Kirkus Reviews

"From award-nominated author Ziggy Hanaor comes this new release from Cicada. Marjorie is a snail. Now, much as she loves her family, she just can’t seem to get some time on her own. People worry that there’s something the matter. There isn’t but she just wants some peace and quiet.

A gorgeous story celebrating those moments where one might wish to be alone with the message that being alone - through choice - isn’t at all the same as being lonely. Hanaor’s thoughtful words with Kourtoglou’s gentle yet quirky illustrations (do snails even have eye-lashes?!) make this an evocative and timeless new picture book. I shall be gifting a copy to my step-son, to remind him that it’s okay to need space and solitude." — The Literacy Tree, UK

From the Publisher

2023-03-14
What do you do if you’re a snail in need of space but well-meaning people keep finding you?

Marjorie enjoys time with her family and friends, but sometimes she just needs to be alone…to be thoughtful or sad or simply apart from what has become “too much.” But no matter what new hiding spot she tries, somehow she’s always found. That’s because Marjorie is a snail, and snails leave trails everywhere they go. After much wandering, though, Marjorie may have found the perfect spot. But can she find her way home again once she’s regained her equilibrium? Luckily, her friend Bernard saves the day, twice in fact, as he tells Marjorie his secret to not leaving a trail others can follow. Bernard is happy to share his relaxing spot; sometimes the two play a game, sometimes they’re just “alone, but together.” Marjorie’s bright blue shell is easy to pick out in the watercolor illustrations. The female snails have prominent eyelashes or hair bows or hats; Bernard sports red glasses. Oddly, most of the plants in the snails’ world are potted, and the snails have hair on their heads. However, it’s nice to see a book about introverts where they don’t have to conform to others’ expectations.(This book was reviewed digitally.)

A refreshingly empathetic portrayal of introversion. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews