EMWF Kids’ Reading Recommendations


This is a Tiny Fragile Snake

Written by Nicholas Ruddock
Illustrated by Ashley Barron
Published by Groundwood Books

Ages: 3-6


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicholas Ruddock is a writer and physician whose novels, short stories and poetry for adults have won multiple prizes in Canada, the UK, and Ireland. Most recently, he has been shortlisted for the CBC Short Story Award.

The poems in This Is a Tiny Fragile Snake, his debut children’s book, are inspired by personal experience. He lives in Guelph, Ontario with the artist Cheryl Ruddock, and, very often, with bustling hordes of their children, grandchildren and dogs.

Photo Credit: Nathan Saliwonchyk

Nicholas Ruddock

It was fun to read. I liked that they added different types of poems and animals.

– Grade 3 student

This is a Tiny Fragile Snake

Fifteen poems explore close encounters with animals … and choosing to respond tenderly.

Whether it’s helping a hummingbird escape, respecting a bear’s habitat, admiring a heron’s beauty, or giving way to ants at a picnic, the human response in these poems is to do no harm, and to help whenever possible. The poems follow a seasonal progression, ending with a final poem that imagines where each animal might be on a winter night.

Inspired by personal experiences, Nicholas Ruddock’s poems are simply written, with a pleasing rhyme, and fun to read aloud. In the spirit of the text, Ashley Barron’s cut-paper collage illustrations portray each creature with respectful realism, in environments ranging from rural and wild to urban and suburban.

A delightful dip into poetry for young animal lovers!

Read on to find the recommendations for This is a Tiny Fragile Snake courtesy of June Avenue Public School’s Grade 3 and 4 students!

“I think it was really nice and made you really calm when you read it because it is not so hard to read. It is about
a snake.”
– Grade 3 student

“It was fun to read. I liked that they added different types of poems and animals.”
– Grade 4 student

“I liked this book because it’s telling you about different animals and what they like.”
– Grade 3 student

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