While bedridden, with a mysterious illness, the author of this book was given a pot of violets and a little snail that her friend had found while digging up the violets in the woods. With nothing else that she could do, Elisabeth spent time observing the snail and soon had someone create a terrarium for it as a more proper home.
This book is well written and filled with quotes from other sources about snails. Who knew so much study had been dedicated to snails? It also is filled with Elisabeth's musings about her illness as she misses the normal active life she used to lead.
Did you know that there are such things as microscopic snails that are blown about in the air? It kind of creeps me out that we could be breathing in snails! Which also brings to mind the "Inside Ralphy" episode of "The Magic School Bus".
I was touched by the fact that the presence of a snail to watch helped Elisabeth to get through a year of her debilitating illness. She shares her thoughts and her later research on snails in an interesting, lyrical book.
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