The Slug and the Snail

By Oein de Bharduin, Olya Anima (Illustrator)

Two slugs face identity and belonging challenges after meeting a crow.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 37 ratings

32 pages

$19.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

Two slug brothers journey together until a crow's words sow doubt about their home. One becomes a snail, seeking acceptance, while the other struggles with shame. Can they reconcile and embrace their true paths? Discover a heartwarming tale of self-acceptance and the meaning of home.

From the publisher

An USBBY Outstanding International Book 2025 An illustrated own-voices fable about self-acceptance and pride from a member of the Irish Traveller nomadic ethnic minority Drawn from the Irish Traveller oral storytelling tradition, DeBhairduin’s tale is a gentle allegory about difference, self-acceptance and different ways of seeing the world. Two slugs travel happily together as brothers, until they meet a crow who shows them that they have no home. Ashamed, one of the slugs decides to make himself a home, and calls himself snail. The brothers grow apart and become suspicious of each other. The slug with no shell-house feels ashamed until he learns to see that the very road he travels is his home, and so he shall never be homeless. The happy slug no longer sees himself through the judging eyes of others, but proudly asserts his place in the world and the two brothers travel happily together once more.

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