The Biggest House in the World (Knopf Children's Paperbacks)

A great book for teaching children to appreciate what they have! It is important to help children be optimistic and this book is a great way to do that.

This is a good example of how children always want something just because it is bigger. The book tells of a young snail that wants a big house, or shell. He tells his father and his father tells him a story about a snail who wanted the same thing and the obstacles he faced. After hearing his

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father's story, the young snail was happy with his own home just as it was.

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Is about a young snail who wishes he had a bigger house. His father explained to him about the time another snail acctually accompished this feat, of having the biggest and prettiest house. The snail had such a large house that he was unable to move and enjoy the world and eventually died. The

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young snail decides to heed the warning and keep his house small and light.
ww.randomhouse.com/kids/lionni

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This book is beautifully put together in a way that readers can learn the simple idea that "less is more" from the perspective of a snail. Not a simple task, but Eric Carle takes children into the life of snail who learns from his father that having more can sometimes be damaging. A wonderful book

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to read when discussing values and what being content truly means.

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This story is about a snail who wants to have the "biggest house in the world." The snail's father tells him a story about something that happened to a snail who had a house that was too big - the snail could never move anywhere and eventually was left alone to crumble. The snail takes this story

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seriously and he is able to travel anywhere he wants and see many sights that he wouldn't have seen if his house was too big. He sees a lot of nature and plants! This story would be good to read when talking about nature, plants, snails, or habitats.. or even just appreciating yourself the way you are! GREAT book!
Type: Picture book - intermediate
Genre: Science Fiction
Illustrations: Colored pencil, multimedia, paint

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This story talks about this snail that dreams of having the biggest house in the world and focuses all attention on this goal. After his father tells him a story, the snail realizes what is actually important, and it is not to have the biggest house. The snail decides to have a small, more mobile

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home to allow a life full of adventure.

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This book is about a Papa snail who tells his son a story about a snail whose house was too big. The little snail wished for the largest house in the world (could be an empire? or a comment on unnecessary capital gain). As the house grew in size and amazement other insects and friends admired the

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beauty of the house (shell). But because the shell was too big, the snail could not move on with his family to find a new food source, and withered away. I probably wouldn't have this in my classroom either, at least not as part of a lesson plan.

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This is sort of a harsh one. Although I agree that we should apply moderation in our life, not give in to vanity or let things get out of hand, I really felt for the little snail as he "faded away". He really put a lot of effort, ingenuity and artistry into building his wonderful house: " ... by

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squeezing and pushing, and by wishing very hard, he was able to add bright colors and beautiful designs." By simply "wishing" he pulled off all these things, it seems there must have been some purpose to that? And the little snail DID bring some magic to others. Not only the snails, but also the butterflies, the frogs marveled at his accomplishment.

The upside: our snail in the story took this parable to heart, rejoiced in being mobile and instead took pleasure in all the marvelous things he saw through his journeys. Yes, sometimes it's better to think ahead and small can be good!

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A good moral story, great for plot and prediction. You can use this to ask the students what the authors purpose was for writing this book.

A young snail dreams of having the biggest house—or shell—in the world. Then one day, his wise father tells him the story of another snail with the same dream. He grew and grew, adding bright colors and beautiful designs, until he found that his house came at a terrible cost. The young snail

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decides that a small, easy-to-carry shell might be best for a life of adventure and exploration.

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