Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator

Gr 3-4 The star of this slim volume is not your common land snail, slipping along its slimy path in search of succulent salads. This is a fierce, speedy (for a snail) predator seeking smaller vegetarian snails and slugs to feed its voracious appetite. Campbell's terse, conversational text follows one such hunt on a damp spring day as a wolfsnail detects, tracks, and engulfs its prey, using its mustachio-style lip extensions as ultrasensory devices. Large, crisp photos record the activity, from the wolfsnail's morning awakening to start the hunt to the denouement of a return to rest. Two additional pages provide further fodder, including mating facts (and a small photo of these hermaphrodites caught in the act). Pair this title with Allan Fowler's more general "A Snail's Pace" (Children's Press, 1999; o.p.) for an interesting glimpse into a slow-motion world."Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY" Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Sure to encourage early readers and listeners to explore their own backyards for similarly wondrous creatures." —Kirkus Reviews

"Even the glossary is fun, with words ranging from cannibal and mollusc to mucus and slug. . . . Will help youngsters discover exciting nature in their own backyards and help them understand the role of predators in the natural cycle." —Booklist

"lt is hard to imagine suspense and drama in a book about the lowly wolfsnail, but this book delivers just that. . . . A unique look at the miniature world of a small predator." —Library Media Connection