the Story of Talkative Snail: A West African Tale Why Snail Carries His Home on Back

The Story of the Talkative Snail A West African Tale of Why Snail Carries His Home on His BackLong before he had a shell, Snail was the fastest, chattiest creature in the whole forest - quick feet, busy hands, and a mouth that never, ever stopped. He couldn't sweep his den without narrating it to Frog. He couldn't gather berries without reporting the count to every passing beetle. And when the wise King trusts him with a very important secret, Snail promises - cross his heart - that he won't say a word.He makes it about as far as the edge of the clearing.When Snail's loose lips turn a quiet plan into forest-wide chaos, the King gives him a new kind of home: a smooth, spiraled shell he can carry wherever he goes - a quiet place to pull back into and think before he speaks. It costs Snail his speed. But it teaches him something he never expected: how to listen, how to be trusted, and how much you notice when you finally slow down.A warm, funny read-aloud adaptation of a traditional West African folktale, complete with a note for grown-ups on talking with kids about secrets, consequences, and patience - plus bonus coloring pages at the end.