The Slug and the Snail
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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Oein DeBhairduin is a creative soul with a passion for poetry, folk herbalism and preserving the beauty of Traveller tales, sayings, retellings and historic exchanges. His debut collection of Traveller folktales, Why the Moon Travels (Skein Press, 2020) won both the Judges' Special Prize and the Éilís Dillon Prize at the 2021 Children's Books Ireland awards.
"In melodic prose, DeBhairduin weaves a tale about a time when no snails existed in the world ... Anima's radiant illustrations illuminate fine details within vast landscapes in a gentle work about perspective and connection." -- Publishers Weekly
"The lyrical text shows the deep connection with the land that the slug brothers have, despite their difference. Lovely mixed media artwork complements this mystical connection with views of the lush greenery from the slugs' point of view. Kids will enjoy following their translucent trails of slime as the story evolves. Caregivers will love the parable of inclusion." -- Youth Services Book Review
"Beautifully illustrated." -- The Irish Times
"A beautifully illustrated picture book ... It's a clever story about acceptance and celebrating, as the book says, "similarities and common connection"." -- Sarah Webb, Irish Independent
"A warm story of difference and commonality." -- Sunday Independent
"A beautifully illustrated refreshing modern-day Aesop's Fable ... This sweet and unique picture book is rooted in the oral tradition of the Irish Traveller community and gently explores themes of belonging, community, friendship, acceptance, and feelings with a light-hearted and thoughtful touch." -- BookTrust Northern Ireland
"I love this story." -- The John Toal Show
"In a world full of prejudice, the message here is one of respect for all ways of life." -- The Echo
"A gorgeous, elegant book, with a profound, unforgettable message." -- Meath Chronicle
"This is a gorgeous book and hopefully not the last we hear of Oein and Olya." -- Read and Reviewed
"With whimsical illustrations, I loved how this story inspires young readers to find commonalities and to celebrate differences." -- Reading with Red and the Magpie
"This is a beautifully illustrated telling of an Irish tale.'" -- ***** NetGalley Librarian Review
"I definitely learned something from this book ... This story points out that though we are different we can still find common ground. I believe that to be true ... The illustrations were good as was the story." -- NetGalley Review
"Lovely illustrations support the text and tell the story of how large the world is." -- NetGalley Librarian Review
"Gorgeously illustrated." -- NetGalley Librarian Review
