REVIEW: Sugar and Snails by Sarah Tsiang

JayneA Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readschildren's literature / childrens-books / illustrations2 Comments

A novel twist to a classic rhyme.
Who says that little girls are made of “sugar and spice and everything nice?” Or that boys are made of “frogs and snails and puppy dog tails?” What if girls were made of “boats and snails and dinosaur tails?” And little boys of “flowers and swings and bumblebee wings?” When the traditional rhyme just doesn’t seem to fit the boy and girl visiting their grandpa, he comes up with a list of unusual alternatives. Soon the children are coming up with their own versions that challenge the old stereotypes with a whimsical list of ingredients. To add to the new quirky version are lively illustrations that beautifully capture the children’s imaginative flights of fancy. Young readers will delight in the small details of Sonja Wimmer’s vibrant art, and be inspired to think of their own silly examples of what ingredients they might be made of themselves.

Dear. Ms. Tsiang and Ms. Wimmer,

Oh I love this book. Just look at the cover. It mixes clever and inventive rhyme with gorgeous illustrations to turn gender stereotypes upside down. Because what if you’re a girl who doesn’t like to wear dresses and who likes monkeys and dirt and lemon dessert? Or if you’re a boy who doesn’t like frogs but loves mutts and newts and rubber rain boots? Is there a book for them? Yes and this is it. I just read it again and love it as much as the first time I read it. A

~Jayne

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Jayne

Another long time reader who read romance novels in her teens, then took a long break before started back again about 20 years ago. She enjoys historical romance/fiction best, likes contemporaries, action- adventure and mysteries, will read suspense if there's no TSTL characters and is currently reading very few paranormals.

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