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Norman the Slug #1
Norman the Slug with a Silly Shell
For all fans of Barry the Fish with Fingers comes another crazy character for kids to love...Meet Norman.Norman is a slug who longs to be a snail - if only he had a shell! But will Norman REALLY be satisfied with a shell of his very own or will his dreams just get bigger and bigger?
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
6 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
January 2, 2022
Nice artwork - but disappointingly lazy story, which really didn't feel like had been thought through to any extent.
Nothing wrong with the silly premise in any way, it just didn't amuse or entertain as hoped.
Nothing wrong with the silly premise in any way, it just didn't amuse or entertain as hoped.
September 19, 2020
With lovely illustrations this is a lot of fun to read. My children found it highly amusing and have enjoyed reading it several times already.
November 11, 2019
Loved this! The author/illustrator does a beautiful job with the facial expressions of Norman the Slug, the story itself is hilarious and compelling, and Norman is just so darn cute!!!
March 7, 2018
Norman is a slug that wants to be a snail so he can join in with his snail friends as he feels a bit left out. This is a really good read for children as it's very bright, colourful and a lot of fun. My daughter likes to count the piles of snails.
September 29, 2018
We found our sight words “and” and “at” in this book tonight. Very silly slug with a donut shell.
July 13, 2022
It was very funny my favorite part was when he said he wish he could fly and used underwear as wings it was so funny
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2017
Surprise ending book. Funny, great for boys.
August 23, 2019
Norman: The Slug With The Silly Shell is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Sue Hendra, which centers on a slug with shell envy finds a worthy surrogate and then something even better.
The text is rather simplistic and straightforward. It is a humorous story about a slug trying to fit in with a group of snails with equally humorous results. The illustrations are rather colorful with bright and vivid colors for the myriad of shells depicted.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Norman, a bright orange slug tries to find a shell so that he can join the smiling snails in their play. After failed experiments with a tennis ball, an apple, and an alarm clock tied on his back, he straps himself beneath a discarded doughnut. This draws a bird that carries Norman off. Sliming himself free of the doughnut in midair, Norman falls onto a clothesline. The surprisingly non-harrowing experience has made him eager now to take to the air, so he somehow turns a pair of underpants into a stiff glider.
All in all, Norman: The Slug With The Silly Shell is a wonderfully silly children's book that lightly touches on conformity, being accepted, and finding one's talent – if one looks really closely.
The text is rather simplistic and straightforward. It is a humorous story about a slug trying to fit in with a group of snails with equally humorous results. The illustrations are rather colorful with bright and vivid colors for the myriad of shells depicted.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Norman, a bright orange slug tries to find a shell so that he can join the smiling snails in their play. After failed experiments with a tennis ball, an apple, and an alarm clock tied on his back, he straps himself beneath a discarded doughnut. This draws a bird that carries Norman off. Sliming himself free of the doughnut in midair, Norman falls onto a clothesline. The surprisingly non-harrowing experience has made him eager now to take to the air, so he somehow turns a pair of underpants into a stiff glider.
All in all, Norman: The Slug With The Silly Shell is a wonderfully silly children's book that lightly touches on conformity, being accepted, and finding one's talent – if one looks really closely.
November 29, 2017
First sentence: Norman the slug thought snails were great. "Wow!" said Norman. "Look at them! They're amazing! But unfortunately, the snails didn't think Norman was great. "Norman, you silly slug!" they cried. "You've spoiled our fun. This only works if you've got a shell." Norman felt left out. Sadly, he skulked off into the moonlight.
Premise/plot: Norman, the "hero" of the book, doesn't have a shell. At least not yet. This picture book shows him "finding" a very silly shell to wear when playing with the other slugs. But. There are consequences as well...when your shell is so tasty.
My thoughts: I don't think I've reminded anyone--this week at least--that reading picture books is super subjective. You may love Norman. You may find him super-silly. You may laugh and giggle. I did not. I found it strange, but not ha ha strange.
Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10
Premise/plot: Norman, the "hero" of the book, doesn't have a shell. At least not yet. This picture book shows him "finding" a very silly shell to wear when playing with the other slugs. But. There are consequences as well...when your shell is so tasty.
My thoughts: I don't think I've reminded anyone--this week at least--that reading picture books is super subjective. You may love Norman. You may find him super-silly. You may laugh and giggle. I did not. I found it strange, but not ha ha strange.
Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10
April 3, 2018
I picked this book up for the amazing cover art. The story was nice enough. Norman the slug wants to play with the snails but he needs a shell. He tries a few things until he finds a sprinkle doughnut that's just right. The snails love it but he gets picked up by a bird! He secretes slime until he slides out and lands on a clothesline. Flying is fun! He makes a hang glider out of some underwear. Weee.
April 5, 2025
Review by a 6 year old: Norman is an adventurous slug who wants to be different things. It's a funny journey.
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January 30, 2022Text-to-teaching
This book is a sweet little reminder of Social and Emotional curriculum in the classroom. Working with the students I do, its important for teachers to keep literature inclusive. This story is about a snail who is inherently different from the other snails. For one reason or another, he appears in the story without a shell. The group of snails makes it clear that he cannot play with them unless he has a shell. Here is where I feel there are 2 layers to the message of this story. We, of course want to promote inclusiveness, and loving others regardless of our differences. That's an important lesson for any child growing up. What also struck me in this story, was Normans resilience to belong anyways. Some kids will pave their own way, and come out on top doing it. I love that message!
This book is a sweet little reminder of Social and Emotional curriculum in the classroom. Working with the students I do, its important for teachers to keep literature inclusive. This story is about a snail who is inherently different from the other snails. For one reason or another, he appears in the story without a shell. The group of snails makes it clear that he cannot play with them unless he has a shell. Here is where I feel there are 2 layers to the message of this story. We, of course want to promote inclusiveness, and loving others regardless of our differences. That's an important lesson for any child growing up. What also struck me in this story, was Normans resilience to belong anyways. Some kids will pave their own way, and come out on top doing it. I love that message!
May 14, 2019
The kids couldn't get enough of this book! I had to read it several times to each class. And each time I read it, they found it more hilarious than the time before. Great pictures and a funny surprise ending makes this book great fun to read. Truly, it's not great literature...but the sounds of the kid's laughter can't be beat!
May 29, 2011
Amelia would have this book read to her all the time if she could.
December 13, 2017
Silliness spews as an adorable snail searches for his place in life.
Norman is a slug, but he wishes he was a snail. The search for a perfect shell brings him across the most interesting possibilities, and the results. . .well, things don't quite turn out the way anyone thought they would.
The cover on this one is an eye-catcher and lures kids (and parents) attention right away, not only thanks to the glittery foil, but a doughnut as a shell is simply fantastic. The story itself begins with the reasoning why Norman needs a doughnut for a shell. On the first spread, he encounters a pyramid of lovely snails. After the encounter ends in clumsy disaster—at first, it wasn't clear what exactly happened, which caused a bit of a stumble until some thinking and flipping between those first two pages finally let enlightenment strike—the fun begins. Either way, Norman hooks from the get-go. He's super cute, super sweet and the type of slug to cuddle and snuggle. . .if one doesn't mind slime.
Words are kept at the minimum to let the story flow. It's concise and to the point, letting the tale and illustrations take lead. Young readers will fall into the story immediately and bounce from situation to situation without the slightest bit of pause. It's great for those who adore silliness and, especially, those with a short attention span—a real plus for younger listeners. Giggles are guaranteed, and there's even a moment of suspense. The ending will either leave a reader thinking, dreaming or simply saying 'huh' and wondering what just hit them. It's a book younger listeners will adore, while older ones will either enjoy it, or shake their heads and toss it to the side. It's an original tale, which hits or doesn't.
The illustrations are like a candy store rainbow. Every page invites with bright colors and whimsical depictions. These are what brings this book to life and make Norman a slug to love.
Summed up, this is a book young listeners are sure to enjoy. Older listeners/readers, however, could fall either way. It's quirky and ridiculous, and doesn't follow the usual story flow. With all of the fun, it does pull kids into thought without them ever realizing it, and might inspire them to adopt a slug of their own.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed Norman enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
Norman is a slug, but he wishes he was a snail. The search for a perfect shell brings him across the most interesting possibilities, and the results. . .well, things don't quite turn out the way anyone thought they would.
The cover on this one is an eye-catcher and lures kids (and parents) attention right away, not only thanks to the glittery foil, but a doughnut as a shell is simply fantastic. The story itself begins with the reasoning why Norman needs a doughnut for a shell. On the first spread, he encounters a pyramid of lovely snails. After the encounter ends in clumsy disaster—at first, it wasn't clear what exactly happened, which caused a bit of a stumble until some thinking and flipping between those first two pages finally let enlightenment strike—the fun begins. Either way, Norman hooks from the get-go. He's super cute, super sweet and the type of slug to cuddle and snuggle. . .if one doesn't mind slime.
Words are kept at the minimum to let the story flow. It's concise and to the point, letting the tale and illustrations take lead. Young readers will fall into the story immediately and bounce from situation to situation without the slightest bit of pause. It's great for those who adore silliness and, especially, those with a short attention span—a real plus for younger listeners. Giggles are guaranteed, and there's even a moment of suspense. The ending will either leave a reader thinking, dreaming or simply saying 'huh' and wondering what just hit them. It's a book younger listeners will adore, while older ones will either enjoy it, or shake their heads and toss it to the side. It's an original tale, which hits or doesn't.
The illustrations are like a candy store rainbow. Every page invites with bright colors and whimsical depictions. These are what brings this book to life and make Norman a slug to love.
Summed up, this is a book young listeners are sure to enjoy. Older listeners/readers, however, could fall either way. It's quirky and ridiculous, and doesn't follow the usual story flow. With all of the fun, it does pull kids into thought without them ever realizing it, and might inspire them to adopt a slug of their own.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed Norman enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
November 28, 2021
The children love books by Sue Hendra and were interested in Norman The Slug With The Silly Shell as soon as they saw it. The story is about a slug called Norman who wants to be a snail but he hasn't got a shell so he heads off to try and find one.
This is a simple story but it's one all the children enjoyed. The children loved seeing all of the silly shells Norman found and sharing what they thought of them. The bright and eye catching illustrations along with the humour are the best parts of the book and very appealing for the children. They found some things silly like the clock but it was great to talk about why they thought these things wouldn't work and what they thought might work.
The story reminded me very much of the No-Bot stories and has a similar storyline to other books of this authors but it is still fun to read and I'm sure the children will request it again many times. A fun story that the children enjoyed with a lovely character who's not scared to be different.
This is a simple story but it's one all the children enjoyed. The children loved seeing all of the silly shells Norman found and sharing what they thought of them. The bright and eye catching illustrations along with the humour are the best parts of the book and very appealing for the children. They found some things silly like the clock but it was great to talk about why they thought these things wouldn't work and what they thought might work.
The story reminded me very much of the No-Bot stories and has a similar storyline to other books of this authors but it is still fun to read and I'm sure the children will request it again many times. A fun story that the children enjoyed with a lovely character who's not scared to be different.
July 10, 2019
Ever since I’ve found out about Book Outlet I have been buying children’s books like crazy. Some for my children, some to give as gifts to my relatives who have young childrend.
This was a Book Outlet find and what drew me was the cover for sure. And the premise sounded cute. My daughter and I enjoyed this book about a slug who wanted to be a snail because snails have cool shells on their backs! Well, what kind of shell would work for a slug? Norman tries out various things and ends up with a donut with sprinkles.
The illustrations are colorful, the story is cute. This is a fun book for kids to enjoy.
This was a Book Outlet find and what drew me was the cover for sure. And the premise sounded cute. My daughter and I enjoyed this book about a slug who wanted to be a snail because snails have cool shells on their backs! Well, what kind of shell would work for a slug? Norman tries out various things and ends up with a donut with sprinkles.
The illustrations are colorful, the story is cute. This is a fun book for kids to enjoy.
January 6, 2018
A slug who wishes that the was a snail with a really cool shell. This was a fun book to read. I love donuts so this was the first thing that attracted me to the book. The story was in between wordy and not so much. I found myself laughing as I was reading. This guy was an inventive slug who thought that he could do anything. There could be a teaching moment here. I think that this could be done for a story time, for a class or for your children. Maybe have a bedtime donut or a craft decorating a paper donut, sparkle and all.
February 16, 2018
From a child's perspective ... this is a great book. The story line is simple but funny and kids can follow along. My 4 year old especially liked it and could relate the illustrations to the story being read. Loved that the author incorporated underwear!!!! Creativity that appeals to children is important.
March 13, 2018
I think this is a great book to read with your children or young students. It talks a little about fitting in and trying to be like those around you. I think many young children can relate to that. I would use this in my class to get students excited about reading and to talk about not always having to fit in.
October 29, 2019
When a slug doesn’t fit in because he doesn’t have a shell, he has to find one. After trying on different things he finds a donut. Then a bird finds the donut and takes him up in the air. After he slimes the bird, he falls and realizes he wants to have wings to fly. Then, he uses underwear to be a bird.
April 27, 2018
Really sweet book used in school to discuss feelings of not wanting to stand out or be different / desire to 'fit in'.... in the end Norman's special slug slime saves him from danger and he is happy with who he is.
August 28, 2018
I waited what felt like forever to get my hands on this book. The title and the cover just sucked me in, but the story left something to be desired. Disappointing to me. However, I'm sure that most kids will enjoy the illustrations even if they think the story is boring.
September 16, 2024
A funny picture book about a slug who just wants to be snail so he goes looking for a shell, a la Goldilocks. Which shell will be just right? You'll have to read it and see!
Themes: slugs/bugs, humor, food, animals
Ages:
Pub year: 2011
Themes: slugs/bugs, humor, food, animals
Ages:
Pub year: 2011
August 26, 2017
Could never be anything but 5 star. Love, love, love Norman.
December 17, 2017
I'm not familiar with this series. They seem to be popular due to the humor.
January 14, 2018
Surprise, silly ending... 3.5 stars
January 24, 2018
A funny story that will be a great read-aloud for preschool storytime.
January 24, 2018
A short, silly story with a surprise ending. The 6 year old enjoyed this story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews