A long, long time ago, before email and texting, the mail was delivered in a much slower way-it was called Snail Mail (because some thought it was delivered by a snail). Although it took much longer, everyone agreed that letters were a little more special when they were delivered by Snail Mail. They might be handwritten. They might include a drawing. They might even contain a surprise inside! One such letter was sent by a Girl to the Boy she loved, and it was up to four special snails to deliver her card across the country. The snails trek across the country-through desert heat and dangerous blizzards, across mountains and plains, through cities and forests-and along the way, they find that taking time to slow down and look around makes the journey all the more beautiful.
Snail Mail‘s playful and educational story encourages kids to approach life with determination and wonder, and Julia Patton’s rich illustrations showcase America’s diverse terrain and national monuments from coast to coast. Kids and parents alike will delight in this celebration of America’s beauty and the power of a simple handwritten letter.
"Art and text take a literal definition and do a great job of running—er, creeping—with it." - Kirkus, Starred Review
"The art shows irresistible snails with eyeballs on stalks protruding above their clothed soft parts, shells exposed to the weather. Engaging watercolors offer varied landscapes and postcardlike views of famous landmarks. The absurdity of the premise—and repeated promise—is humorously upheld throughout." - Kirkus, Starred Review
"[An] appropriately leisurely paced tale about the pleasures of taking one’s time." - Shelf Awareness
"fantastical ode to the United States Postal Service." - NY Times Review
"Snail Mail encourages both young and old to rediscover the joy in sending and receiving handwritten letters, which make for lasting and memorable impressions." - NY Journal of Books
"Best Children's Books of the Year 2019" - Bank Street College of Education
