The Legend of the Golden Snail »

Graeme Base’s Animalia received international acclaim when it was first published and has gone on to sell more than two million copies. Among his many beloved and bestselling other books are Enigma, The Eleventh Hour, The Water Hole, and Jungle Drums. Graeme and his family live in Melbourne, Australia. Visit him online at www.graemebase.com.

A young boy’s favorite storybook tells of a Golden Snail that lived long ago in the mythical Spiral Isles. When it journeyed through its magical realm, it took on the shape of a fantastical golden sailing ship. One day the ship was captured by a Great Enchanter and put under his spell. After he became bored with the Snail, the Enchanter banished it to the Ends of the Earth so no one else could ever sail in it. There it remains until a new master comes to claim it. Could a young boy named Wilbur be the next master?

Featuring Graeme Base’s visually stunning signature art (packed with details, including a hidden “snail and crossbones” to search for in each picture) and a bonus mini book (bound in, nonremovable), The Legend of the Golden Snail is an adventure unlike any other.

Publishers Weekly

A fantastical nautical adventure unwinds seamlessly in Base's (Animalia) sumptuous, large-format picture book. Wilbur's favorite storybook--a miniature facsimile of which is attached to the title page--tells of a giant snail transformed into a "golden galleon: a Snailing Ship." Legend has it that a Grand Enchanter put the snail under a spell and later banished it to the Ends of the Earth, where it awaits a new master. Determined to be that person, Wilbur and his cat set sail ("Back in a hundred years," he tells his mother), wearing a piratelike hat bearing a "snail 'n' crossbones," an image Base hides in each painting. Along the way, Wilbur helps eccentric creatures in distress (such as lantern fish with actual light bulbs), who guide him on his perilous mission in return. Characteristically, Base's art steers the journey, alternating between action scenes and spectacular seascapes that reveal Wilbur's tiny vessel alone on a vast ocean, against dazzling skies. With a denouement that's in keeping with Wilbur's oft-demonstrated kindness, this is a beguiling excursion for adventurers of any age. Ages 4 8. (Oct.)