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Nature Storybooks
I (Don't) Like Snakes
They’re slithery and scaly, and they have icky, flicking tongues and creepy, unblinking eyes. What’s to like about a snake? You’d be surprised!
This little girl has a problem. Her family doesn’t have dogs, or cats, or birds—they have snakes! And she really, really, really really doesn’t like snakes. Her family can’t understand her dislike, but they canhelp her understand why snakes do the things they do and look the way they look. And maybe once she knows more, she will start to like snakes a little . . . or even a lot. Packed with snake trivia, this clever story includes realistic illustrations and simple explanations of snake behavior sure to make even slither-phobic readers shed their misconceptions about these fascinating reptiles. Back matter includes a note about snakes, a bibliography, and an index.
This little girl has a problem. Her family doesn’t have dogs, or cats, or birds—they have snakes! And she really, really, really really doesn’t like snakes. Her family can’t understand her dislike, but they canhelp her understand why snakes do the things they do and look the way they look. And maybe once she knows more, she will start to like snakes a little . . . or even a lot. Packed with snake trivia, this clever story includes realistic illustrations and simple explanations of snake behavior sure to make even slither-phobic readers shed their misconceptions about these fascinating reptiles. Back matter includes a note about snakes, a bibliography, and an index.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 2015
About the author
Nicola Davies
146 books177 followers"I was very small when I saw my first dolphin," says zoologist Nicola Davies, recalling a seminal visit with her father to a dolphin show at the zoo. Enchanted at the sight of what she called the "big fish" jumping so high and swimming so fast, she determined right then that she would meet the amazing creatures again "in the wild, where they belonged." And indeed she did--as part of a pair of scientific expeditions, one to Newfoundland at the age of eighteen and another to the Indian Ocean a year later. In WILD ABOUT DOLPHINS, Nicola Davies describes her voyages in a firsthand account filled with fascinating facts and captivating photographs of seven species of dolphins in action.
Nicola Davies's seemingly boundless enthusiasm for studying animals of all kinds has led her around the world--and fortunately for young readers, she is just as excited about sharing her interests through picture books. The zoologist's latest offering puts a decidedly quirky twist on her years of experience: POOP: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE UNMENTIONABLE is a fun, fact-filled guide to the fascinating world of poop across species. "As a zoologist, you are never far from poop!" the writer explains. "I've baked goose poop in an oven with my dinner, looked at bat poop under the microscope, and had my T-shirt stained pink with blue-whale poop. I was obviously fated to write this book."
The exceptional combination of Nicola Davies's zoological expertise and her first-rate children's writing is apparent in her remarkable catalog of award-winning titles. Her first book with Candlewick Press, BIG BLUE WHALE, was hailed by American Bookseller as an "artfully composed study" offering "language exactly appropriate for four- to seven-year-olds and precisely the right amount of information." In ONE TINY TURTLE, Nicola Davies's clear, compelling narrative follows the life of the rarely seen loggerhead turtle, which swims the oceans for thirty years and for thousands of miles in search of food, only to return, uncannily, to lay her eggs on the very beach where she was born. The author's next book, BAT LOVES THE NIGHT, is a tenderly written ode to a much-misunderstood flying mammal, the pipistrelle bat, while SURPRISING SHARKS--winner of a BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Honor Award--contains unexpected facts about another one of the planet's most infamous animals.
When she is not off on scientific expeditions, Nicola Davies lives in a cottage in Somerset, England, where she is lucky enough to have pipistrelle bats nesting in her roof.
Nicola Davies's seemingly boundless enthusiasm for studying animals of all kinds has led her around the world--and fortunately for young readers, she is just as excited about sharing her interests through picture books. The zoologist's latest offering puts a decidedly quirky twist on her years of experience: POOP: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE UNMENTIONABLE is a fun, fact-filled guide to the fascinating world of poop across species. "As a zoologist, you are never far from poop!" the writer explains. "I've baked goose poop in an oven with my dinner, looked at bat poop under the microscope, and had my T-shirt stained pink with blue-whale poop. I was obviously fated to write this book."
The exceptional combination of Nicola Davies's zoological expertise and her first-rate children's writing is apparent in her remarkable catalog of award-winning titles. Her first book with Candlewick Press, BIG BLUE WHALE, was hailed by American Bookseller as an "artfully composed study" offering "language exactly appropriate for four- to seven-year-olds and precisely the right amount of information." In ONE TINY TURTLE, Nicola Davies's clear, compelling narrative follows the life of the rarely seen loggerhead turtle, which swims the oceans for thirty years and for thousands of miles in search of food, only to return, uncannily, to lay her eggs on the very beach where she was born. The author's next book, BAT LOVES THE NIGHT, is a tenderly written ode to a much-misunderstood flying mammal, the pipistrelle bat, while SURPRISING SHARKS--winner of a BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Honor Award--contains unexpected facts about another one of the planet's most infamous animals.
When she is not off on scientific expeditions, Nicola Davies lives in a cottage in Somerset, England, where she is lucky enough to have pipistrelle bats nesting in her roof.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
September 26, 2016
This book about Snakes is not the most exciting or most interesting picture book I have read within the last 21 years. It has taken the stance of being both fiction and non-fiction, with not great results. This worked for the book 'Wolves' as it had more of story-line and it made the reader want to find out more. I would use this book at school if we were doing a topic based on Snakes but would not actively pick to read to entertain a class. Note to self: Hard to read with a lisp.
November 1, 2019
The family loves snakes, but the daughter doesn't. This fiction book covers fun facts about snake species. The fiction is written in large print while the nonfiction is written in small print. The illustrations are realistic in the nonfiction parts, while the snakes are pictured as charming and whimsical in the fiction sections. At the end of the book is additional facts about snakes, a bibliography and an index. This book will appeal to children who want to learn about snakes. I feel second grade and up for a unit on snakes or a science unit.
September 24, 2018
The unnamed main character is the only person in her family who doesn’t like snakes. In fact, she “really, really, REALLY (doesn’t) like snakes!” Throughout out this book, her family try to challenge her misconceptions and change her mind. This narrative is supported by detailed diagrams and interesting and informative facts about these amazing creatures. This could be a useful resource for persuasive writing, and a good book for a child to read with an adult to learn more about snakes.
November 15, 2015
Wonderful way to introduce snake facts to young readers. Love this structure for nonfiction picture books. Well, what I consider nonfiction - found this in the fiction section of our library!
July 8, 2018
I actually learned something new about snakes.Which isn't a bad thing.
December 21, 2015
Great example of literary nonfiction! The girl in the story is dismayed that the pet of choice for her family is a snake - lots of snakes! For every reason she has to dislike them, the family has reasons why that quality is fascinating. Kids can learn a lot of great facts while being entertained by a humorous story.
April 26, 2015
Perfect for those who have a fear of snakes. They learn all about just how cool these creatures actually are. The illustrations are stunning.
April 27, 2015
I don't like snakes but this is book is beautiful and informative, and although I have great respect for them it didn't change my opinion on snakes.
October 21, 2019
I wanted to shut the book after the second page. It tries to combine non-fiction and fiction but because of that I think it has made the book quite busy on each page. The two different font styles mean that it was quite unappealing to read each section because the paragraphs seemed so chunky.
That being said, a book that would maybe be appealing to children who were really into snakes and wanted to engage them in reading???
That being said, a book that would maybe be appealing to children who were really into snakes and wanted to engage them in reading???
January 25, 2021
Many people young and old proclaim their dislike of snakes without really understanding anything about the animals or even why they dislike them. This humorous and educational book stars a snake-wary young girl and her snake-loving family, who by the end of the book have her singing the praises of the reptiles, as well.
This would make a great science-themed classroom resource for an elementary school audience; as it can find an audience in both kids who like and dislike snakes.
This would make a great science-themed classroom resource for an elementary school audience; as it can find an audience in both kids who like and dislike snakes.
January 11, 2018
I really enjoyed reading the factual explanations alongside the story and I really do like snakes!
March 4, 2017
This is a fun mix of fiction and nonfiction. It is the story of a little girl who doesn't like snakes even though her family has pet snakes. But when she tells her family, they begin to teach her all about the fascinating things snakes can do..how they move and find their prey and how they kill their prey. While the illustrations are not in a style that is a particular favorite, I think they work well with the text. And by the end, I think most readers will be persuaded that snakes are interesting...whether or not they want one for a pet.
I appreciate that the book has an index and a bibliography.
I appreciate that the book has an index and a bibliography.
September 8, 2015
Although the narrator is convinced that she doesn't like snakes, her family provides several different reasons that make snakes so appealing. For everything she identifies as being negative, they come up with reasons that snakes do this or that. From a different perspective, maybe the slithering, flicking, unblinking aspects of these reptiles are more interesting than frightening. By the time the book concludes, she's a convert, convinced of the coolness of snakes from the facts being shared with her. The mixed media illustrations and text are engaging, and this book blends narrative with information quite nicely. Beware, though, since there is a note in my copy of the book indicating that a harmless milk snake on page 15 has been mislabeled as a coral snake. This book is perfect for sharing with young readers, especially since it might change some of their minds about snakes too.
January 6, 2016
The family of one little girl, unfortunately for her, doesn't have dogs or cats, bird or fish. They have snakes, and she tells them emphatically: "I really, really, REALLY don't like snakes!" Mom, Dad and brother can't understand why, so ask her, "Why?" As she lays out her reasons, each responds with the facts, and each page adds to that information. Davies manages a fun conversational tone with the girl's complaints and the enthusiastic and clear explanations. And cartoon-like sketches add to the information. The reader learns that snakes really aren't slimy, have dry skin, but it's a shiny, see-through outer skin. There are pages about the kinds of eyes, how snakes hunt and eat, and extra information at the back, including an index and bibliography. I learned some things about snakes, and for those who want to know the basics, this is a book to start with.
February 17, 2016
It surprised me how much I liked this book. There are two narratives going on here, one about a girl in a family, and the other a set of facts, and each narrative has its own font. (The index in the back even reminds the reader to read words in both sets of font for cool information.) Also, the illustrations differentiate between the girl's story and the factual information about the snakes. Even though the real-life info about the snakes doesn't include photographs, the illustrations are beautiful and clear without being too grisly. Very entertaining and informative.
September 10, 2016
A young girl fears and dislikes snakes and her family is determined to change her mind by showing her the many fascinating facts about snake life including their physical characteristics and behavior. Davis changes illustration styles and fonts to clearly delineate the fiction and nonfiction content. The eating habits are rather graphic so prepare the squeamish; however, most young readers will be captivated. This high kid appeal nonfiction picture book is a must-have for reptile units.
July 29, 2016
4.4 stars
Excellent information about snakes. A little girl tells her family how much she hates snakes. Her family counters with lots of truly interesting information about snakes. Kids will really like this book. The factual information is presented with engaging illustrations and fun snake tidbits.
The book indicates that snakes are found everyone in the world EXCEPT the Arctic, Antarctica, Ireland, New Zealand, and a few remote islands in the ocean. So interesting.
August 27, 2017
I like the idea of narrative nonfiction, and loved the facts on snakes. But it's all overshadowed by the really horrible font choices and strange illustrations. Yep, horrible font choices. I guess I'm being picky but I really hated the entire design. I was surprised to see it is Candlewick Press and not self-published.
April 23, 2016
Although I really do hate snakes, and the wonderful illustrations creeper me out a bit, this is a good book. Fun and informative - especially liked the Index at the end that teaches kids how to use an index and read an informational book one this.
Read
November 20, 2015Once she knows more about snakes, a little girl learns to like them. Facts about snakes are smoothly incorporated into this informative picture book.
December 8, 2015
Whether your child has a fear or fascination of snakes, this is a good picture book read aloud to learn more about the amazing reptiles.
December 22, 2015
A young girl learns facts about snakes, including their behavior, physical characteristics, and eating habits, to overcome her trepidation.
January 12, 2016
I REALLY do not like snakes but this is an awesome book of snake facts. Engaging illustrations and a little humor combine to make a very likable book.
February 29, 2016
Cool meta-nonfiction where a girl is learning about snakes throughout the book and just might change her mind about all the reasons she doesn't like snakes!
May 5, 2016
The first real book about snakes that I managed to finish! The illustration and text were clear and colourful. No scary pictures to surprise young readers.
January 10, 2025
I LOVED this book, and plan to read more from the Read And Wonder series.
This family doesn't have dogs or cats, they have snakes instead. But the little sister doesn't like snakes. Until her family starts correcting her misinformation and teaching her all about real snakes. They're not slimy, they have dry skin. They slither in all different ways, and can even swim and climb!
The more snake myths are corrected, the more this little sister starts to like snakes, until by the very end, she LOVES them!
This was a really great combination of fiction with nonfiction. We follow the girl and her snake-loving family as they discuss, teach, and learn about snakes, and can consult the related facts and diagrams on the opposite page. The length of the story could be adjusted depending whether or not you read the nonfiction pages. The pictures and fictional part of the story are interesting and informative enough to be worth reading all on their own.
This family doesn't have dogs or cats, they have snakes instead. But the little sister doesn't like snakes. Until her family starts correcting her misinformation and teaching her all about real snakes. They're not slimy, they have dry skin. They slither in all different ways, and can even swim and climb!
The more snake myths are corrected, the more this little sister starts to like snakes, until by the very end, she LOVES them!
This was a really great combination of fiction with nonfiction. We follow the girl and her snake-loving family as they discuss, teach, and learn about snakes, and can consult the related facts and diagrams on the opposite page. The length of the story could be adjusted depending whether or not you read the nonfiction pages. The pictures and fictional part of the story are interesting and informative enough to be worth reading all on their own.
December 13, 2018
Informational
This is an informational book in disguise! The book begins with a story about a girl who doesn’t like snakes but her whole family does. Her family gives facts about snakes to try and convince her why snakes are so great. In the end the girl decides she likes snakes, but most importantly the reader leaves knowing a bunch of facts about snakes! I would like to use this book as part of a science lesson about snakes, or to just have it available in the classroom as an informational book that is engaging and high quality.
This is an informational book in disguise! The book begins with a story about a girl who doesn’t like snakes but her whole family does. Her family gives facts about snakes to try and convince her why snakes are so great. In the end the girl decides she likes snakes, but most importantly the reader leaves knowing a bunch of facts about snakes! I would like to use this book as part of a science lesson about snakes, or to just have it available in the classroom as an informational book that is engaging and high quality.
January 22, 2019
I don’t like snakes is about a girl that dislikes snakes and she is surrounded by then because I family love them. The book is interesting because the girl’s family try to help her feel positive about snakes telling her what they can do: camouflaged, shed their skin, change colours, have a good sense of smell and strangle their prey. At the end of the buy the child is confident and overcomes her fears.
The book was a good story for helping children to overcome their fears but I think it is okay for someone not to like snakes and I think she was encouraged to like them.
The book was a good story for helping children to overcome their fears but I think it is okay for someone not to like snakes and I think she was encouraged to like them.
April 8, 2019
A non-fiction narrative about a girl who is not a fan of snakes. Throughout the book, the more she learns about snakes, the more she actually begins to like them.
For me, as a non-lover of snakes, this book was interesting. I appreciated that the pictures were not actually photographs of snakes, because the image is frightening to me.
I think my students would enjoy this book, because those that enjoy snakes would be able to learn more and those who do not like snakes would be able to related to the character.
For me, as a non-lover of snakes, this book was interesting. I appreciated that the pictures were not actually photographs of snakes, because the image is frightening to me.
I think my students would enjoy this book, because those that enjoy snakes would be able to learn more and those who do not like snakes would be able to related to the character.
September 23, 2018
Great non-fiction book about a young girl who "really" doesn't like snakes. Her family are determined to change her mind and provide fascinating facts about the creatures.
Contains 2 parts: a narrative part and a informative part. The combination of the two is brilliant as they are displayed on facing pages. The illustrations for the narrative are soft but vibrant, however the illustrations for the informative part are more detailed but not to grisly for children! Would highly recommend!
Contains 2 parts: a narrative part and a informative part. The combination of the two is brilliant as they are displayed on facing pages. The illustrations for the narrative are soft but vibrant, however the illustrations for the informative part are more detailed but not to grisly for children! Would highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews