School Library Journal (Thu May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

Gr 3-4 The star of this slim volume is not your common land snail, slipping along its slimy path in search of succulent salads. This is a fierce, speedy (for a snail) predator seeking smaller vegetarian snails and slugs to feed its voracious appetite. Campbell's terse, conversational text follows one such hunt on a damp spring day as a wolfsnail detects, tracks, and engulfs its prey, using its mustachio-style lip extensions as ultrasensory devices. Large, crisp photos record the activity, from the wolfsnail's morning awakening to start the hunt to the denouement of a return to rest. Two additional pages provide further fodder, including mating facts (and a small photo of these hermaphrodites caught in the act). Pair this title with Allan Fowler's more general A Snail's Pace (Children's Press, 1999; o.p.) for an interesting glimpse into a slow-motion world. Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Kirkus Reviews

A rosy wolfsnail prowls along a hosta leaf, finding and devouring its prey—another snail. In this introduction to a carnivorous species probably unknown to young readers, striking color photographs of larger-than-life-sized snails accompany a simple straightforward text. Native to the southern United States, wolfsnails have been introduced in Hawaii and other parts of the world where they have become a serious pest. This photo essay, however, concentrates on the animal itself—its curiously shaped head, its ability to follow a trail of slime or hide from a predatory bird, the toothy tongue that allows it to remove the meat from inside a smaller snail. Backmatter includes a list of fast facts, additional information (including mating and reproduction) and a glossary. Sure to encourage early readers and listeners to explore their own backyards for similarly wondrous creatures. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-7)

ALA Booklist (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

As shivery and slimy as a snake, the tiny wolfsnail eats garden snails and slugs. This dramatic photo-essay, with close-up color photos and one or two sentences on each page, shows the predator stalking its prey, following a trail of slime, using its tentacles to search for food, and then grabbing the victim, eating it, and leaving the empty shell behind. The back matter includes a small photo of the tiny wolfsnail at its true size and lots of fascinating facts about where the snails live, how they mate, and more. Even the glossary is fun, with words ranging from cannibal and mollusc to mucus and slug. In their first book, the Campbells tell a survival story that will help youngsters discover exciting nature in their own backyards and help them understand the role of predators in the natural cycle.