From the New Yorker's acclaimed natural history writer, the saga of a small, striped snake, captured by a curious young hunter and at last released toa "cool, green forest of grass". A compelling encounter with a wild creature.

This is relatively long for a picture-book as we experience the world of the snake and all its hiding places in detail - but rewarding to the right reader. Good for a classroom that needs more for its 'environmental awareness' story collection, because it is a (realistic) story, not just a science book. ( )

Remember catching insects and frogs in jars just to keep them as a pet? That's what happened to this snake and the story is told from his point of view. At the end of the story, the boy who catches him realizes how sacred life is and the determination of the snake to be free, so he lets the snake go. This is a good book to teach children about the value of the ecosystem. ( )

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Media: Watercolor

Age Appropriateness: Primary ( )

Most children love to catch insects, bugs, frogs, and other creatures. This story talks about a boy who catches a snake and then realizes that the snake is better off in its' natural habitat. It would be a good book to enhance a unit on snakes or pond life, perhaps.