Creeping Land Snails

How does a snail move from one place to the next? Its body oozes a thick, slippery slime that the little animal uses to slide over the ground. Look inside to discover more fascinating facts about these slow-moving creepers.

Children's Literature

Creepy, crawling, slimy . . . all descriptors guaranteed to hook even the most reluctant reader and all part of this well-done life science book for young readers. Excellent, sharp photographs, often labeled, will evoke comments but also will demand a second look as the reader makes sense of the visual. The well-written text provides fascinating facts about land snails': life cycle, habitat, and characteristics—its single foot is attached to its head. It secretes slime to ease its crawling over or up and down, An African snail can grow up to fifteen inches! Some snails can only creep two inches per minute, taking twenty-two days to travel one mile. The basics of a land snail's body, its eating habits, its need for moisture are all covered, as is its ability to survive cold weather or dry, hot summers by withdrawing into its shell and covering most of the opening with slime. Snails are born with a shell, which grows with it and offers some protection from predators. White closes with a brief overview of the world of invertebrates, a picture glossary, an index, suggested titles for further reading and an online link to four web sites with more information (at a much higher reading level). Part of Bearport's "No Backbone! The World of Invertebrates" series, this is a first-rate early science book. Reviewer: Peg Glisson