This book contains three vignette-style stories about a pair of friends. In the first one, Snail tells Worm how it’s the best day because others are having a great day, even if it wasn’t a good day for him.* Snail encounters a turtle in the second tale and mistakes the shell for a giant cave with a dragon inside. Finally, Snail asks Worm to tell him a story before bed.

This is another humorous book in the Snail & Worm series. I enjoy how the stories are more or less standalone so readers can pick up any title in the series in any order as well as picking up with any story within the book. My particular favorite in this title was the first one because I love the positivity of Snail’s outlook in viewing the day as great because others were happy, instead of being down because others had it better than them. An important lesson for all of us.

In general, Snail’s character is so funny as they are somewhat obtuse, but an over-the-top ridiculous state of unawareness nor is the humor mean-spirited about Snail’s perceptions. There were times I chuckled out loud with some of Snail’s comments; young readers will surely get a kick out of them also.

Illustrations fit the tone of the book well and help to amplify the story.

*Neither animal is actually given a gender, which is more refreshing than all the male-centric animal stories I’ve been reading lately, but less satisfying than if one or both was explicitly female, because sadly many of us will be ingrained like I was to assume male even though no gendered pronoun is used. ( )

Best Day Ever
The Spooky Cave
A Bedtime Story

See also: Frog and Toad, Chick and Brain ( )