When his teacher asks for a classroom helper to pick up books at the school library, Snail volunteers. A detour to the water fountain brings disaster, though: a flood and a whirlpool that is visible only to Snail (and the reader). From then on, Snail is the only volunteer for school errands, perhaps because the other students look forward to the tales he tells when he returns. The simple line drawings washed with delicate pastels have character enough to complement the story's understated humor. Skating a fine line between fantasy and reality, Stadler creates an amusing trio of stories for beginning readers. (Reviewed Sept. 15, 1993)

In his first I Can Read book, Snail eagerly volunteers to perform errands for his teacher, but each time he gets sidetracked in a fantasy adventure. The earnest little snail is an appealing character, but the story lacks the humor and tension that made the two earlier books about Snail successful candidates for the beginning reader.