Our first BLG book of the 2013/2014 year is a beautiful one! Dan, our BLG reader read us The Snatchabook written by Helen Docherty and illustrated by Thomas Docherty.
Bringing a book that celebrates the love of reading to a classroom full of eager readers and book lovers was a very smart move! Dan was greeted by a few compliments about his nice outfit and his deep voice and then told by one child: “We love, love, love books more than anyone else in the world!” We were certainly excited to hear this story! And when we saw images from favourite fairytales and other beloved tales, our excitement grew!
Students were fascinated by this little book thief – the Snatchabook:
“Is it a raven? They steal and trick!”
“Is it a book fairy?”
“Book fairies don’t have tails.”
“It looks like a mouse fly.”
“Does it have big muscles?”
Heman‘s review summarizes the story in a wonderful way:
He rates this book 5/5 and writes: My favourite part was when the Snatchabook gave the books back to their owners. I liked it when Eliza read a book to the Snatchabook. I liked the pictures and the colours in the book. In the book, the Snatchabook stole books from the animals and then the Snatchabook gave the owners their books back. The Snatchabook stole books because nobody read to him. At the end, Eliza read a book to the Snatchabook. I liked the way the illustrator drew the Snatchabook and the rabbit The Snatchabook looks like a mouse with a long tail and wings.
We loved how the Snatchabook made everything right in the end and got to participate in nightly story time in Burrow Down. What a perfectly lovely story about the joy of being read to!
Other student reviewers respond:
Brian rates this book 3/5 and writes: My favourite part is when the bunny read to the Snatchabobok. That was calm. I want to know – does the Snatchabook feel sad and lonely? Do they have homes? Do the Snatchabook and bunny love books? How can the Snatchabook carry that much books?
Vicky rates this book 5/5 and writes: What if a Snatchabook came to our classroom? If a Snatchabook came to our classroom, then it might steal our books. I will feel sad then and tell the teacher. My favourite part is when the Snatchabook gave the books back to people.
Soleen rates this book 5/5 and writes: I love the pictures. I enjoyed the book. I wonder if he is going to steal books ever again? The story was the best Snatchabook ever. The illustrator makes the best pictures.
Kelvin rates this book 5/5 and writes: My favourite part was the bunny read to the Snatchabook. How do snatchabooks have wings? How could the Snatchabook carry so much books?
Kala rates this book a 4/5 and writes: The book was nice. I enjoyed listening to the book. We had lots of books like that book – the rhymes. My favourite thing was when the book fairy was nice to Eliza. I love the pictures. It was so so so so lovely.
Jerry rates this book 5/5 and writes: I love when the Snatchabook snatches books and when the bunny says come back with the books. I love the snatcher. I liked when the bunny read to the snatcher. I liked the bunny too.
Hyo Min rates this book 5/5 and writes: My favourite part was the Snatchabook steals books. He was a good reader. I love the pictures. She is a good author and he is a good illustrator. I liked the underground and the overground.
Andrew rates this book 5/5 and writes: What if the Snatchabook went to our room? What will the Snatchabook snatch? Which book will he snatch? In the end, the Snatchabook is really nice.
Kevin rates this book 5/5 and writes: It is so nice to meet the new BLG reader. My favourite part was when the author draw nice rabbits in the book. It will be really nice to let Snatchabook come in and we will read a book to him. I learned to be patient. I thought this was a rhyme book on the first page and it was. I’m happy! I enjoyed the rabbits in this book. My sister wants a pet rabbit.
Jorja rates this book 5/5 and writes: I like the pictures. I like the cover. The Snatchabook looks like a mouse. Maybe Snatchabook likes books so he took their books.
Grace rates this book 4/5 and writes: I like the rhymes. But I love the pictures. The animals are cute. What if a Snatchabook came to our classroom? Why doesn’t Snatchabook have a Mom or Dad? What if the Snatachabook was reading the book The Snatchabook? I enjoyed this book but it isn’t very very very exciting. What does the Snatchabook eat?
There's a Book for That 
To the kids in Mrs. Gelson’s class: All your words about this new book, The Snatchabook, made me want to run out fast and buy it. Your teacher knows I love books as much as she does, so I’m always looking for more. From all “your” words, I think you must like the part about the bunnies (or rabbits) best. My school has a book fair at a local bookstore starting tonight & I really hope they have this book. I’ll let you know if I find it! Thanks for telling all about the book!
Ms. Gelson told us that you are reading this book to Kindergarten students. We hope that they will like this story. Thank you for telling us about how you like books so much too.
I loved this book as much as you did. My favorite part was when Snatchabook returned all the books that did not belong to him. He learned an important lesson. I love how all the animal families invited him to hear their bedtime stories with them each night. Yea! A happy ending.
We just got worried when we thought about a Snatchabook coming to our class! We don’t want all of our books to be taken! Thanks for reading our reviews! We like happy endings too.
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