The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) by Avi

The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) Reviews

• 
  Cheryl Rainfield

  I love humor when it tickles my funny bone. The End of the Beginning really appealed to me, and I think it will appeal both to young children for the incredible silliness and young child’s sense of humor, as well as to adults for the bits of deep wisdom and truisms that are woven throughout the story.
  
  Avon, a snail who loves to read, gets really sad because he’s never had an adventure like all the characters he’s read about in books. So he decides to find himself an adventure, and he, along with Edward, an ant who’s lived in his house for a year but who he’s never spoken to, set out to find adventures, traveling slowly at Avon’s snail pace. They come to the end of a branch, meet up with a mouse they decide is a dragon in disguise, teach a cricket to sing a different song, and race another snail. They return home (which they think is an enchanted castle) happy, and each a friend richer.
  
  I love the way the story opens, with Avon the snail reading books and enjoying them; this is a validation of readers and book lovers. From there, Avi moves us into tongue-in-cheek humor and playful silliness with sense turned on its head, and, woven throughout it all, bits of wisdom and truth. There are truths that children will easily pick up on, and truths and humor that will resonate more with older readers and adults. The silliness is innocent, young, and appears on most pages, making the book light and easy to read.
  
  read my entire review
  here.
• 
  Lydia

  When I first saw this book, I was sure that it would be below my reading level. And, sure enough, it was by a mile, but I still loved it! Maybe I'll look back on this in a few years and think, "I dunno, I think it's kinda boring now," but I loved the earnest personalities in both the characters! To give a quick brief on the story plot, Avon the Small Snail meets Edward the Tiny Ant, and they go looking for adventures. Yup. Simplest story plot ever, but I have fallen in love with the characters, the illustrations, the style of storytelling--I just loved this book.
  Let me emphasize that if you don't like books that are a bit either below your reading level or have kind of predictable plots, this probably isn't your kind of book. It's funny, because I'm that way--but I know I can read this to my little sisters, and we'll both keel over in giggles. I loved this book. Avon earnestly searched for an adventure, and Edward bossed him around in an earnest sort of way, without meaning to. I usually love Avi's books.
  I finished it in about 15 minutes, and hope to read it to my sisters soon.
• 
  Stephanie galvin

  The End of the Beginning by Avi is about a snail named Avon who is looking to have some adventures in his life like the ones he reads about in his books. When attempting to start his adventures, Avon meets Edward the ant. Together, Avon and Edward set off on there travels. Along the way, Edward and Avon run into several other creaters; a worm being one of them. When the two friends stumble apon a worm who has forgotten which end was his beginning and which was his end, Edward helps the worm by tickling its ends with a leaf to see which one would sneeze. Eventually, their trip leads Edward and Avon to the end of the branch, or rather, what they declear to be the end of the sky. In the end, their adventures help Avon learn that where he is, is exactly where he wanted to be.
  I found this to be a very cute book. It was definitly a change from the other Avi books that I have read so far. Although, I do not understand how this is a childers' book simply because I do not think a child would be able to comperhend the numerous puns throughout the story. This makes me wonder if some childern books aren't actually written for the childern at all, but for the parents who are reading to them. But, untheless, I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone looking to have a laugh.
• 
  Lisa Houlihan

  I haven't liked many of Avi's books, including his Newbery-winner Crispin, but this is an exception. I spotted it on the shelf when I succumbed to Sounder, one of two or three Medalists I haven't read (because there's canine mortality, isn't there?). Armstrong is near Avi, and I glanced again at Avi because I saw that Crispin has a sequel.
  
  It's a story more for adults than children, more so even than Harold and the Purple Crayon. Its illustrations are charming and so are the microministories, wordplay, and worldplay.
• 
  A.K. Klemm

  So I have to admit... not all the children's books I read and review involve reading to my child. There, I said it! The older I get the more inclined I am to sit down with a good children's book and devour it in one sitting, feeling refreshed, enthused, and not so old. The End of the Beginning is one such book. I read it over my lunch at work today and I have not felt so fulfilled by an hour of my time in quite a while. I'm looking forward to discovering the sequel in the stacks one day... read it again out loud to the kiddo in February of 2017, such a wonderful experience.
• 
  Nancy Kotkin

  A brief story of a snail and an ant that embark on an adventure together. The animals seem to be adults, since the snail owns his own house and lives by himself, and the ant is a philosopher. There is some witty dialogue but it is, unfortunately, not accompanied by any real plot. Child readers will likely be disappointed by the lack of promised adventure (though the ant and snail believe they did have an adventure). I do not find the ending satisfying since the magical explanation seems out of character for the ant, and surely the snail would recognize his own home.
  
• 
  Annalee

  Quick little “chapter” book. Cute enough, but I don’t think Lucy would enjoy it as a read-aloud since she’d try to make too much sense of the nonsense. James and the Giant Peach would be more worth the time.
• 
  Jess

  While this wasn't the best middle grade book I've ever read, I'm forever grateful for it. It's the first chapter book my 8-yr-old consented to pick up and read. She loved it so much (short chapters, silly nonsensical stories, cute pictures scattered throughout) that she begged me to read it to her with her sisters.
• 
  Tamara York

  Kind of sweet and kind of cute. But coming on the heels of Winnie the Pooh, it just feel flat. This book had some Pooh-like qualities, but in a more watered down form. It might have been a 4 star read aloud if we had read it at a different time. Just okay.
• 
  Jolee B

  This book will take the average adult approximately 40 min to read. 😂 It is super short and super sweet. There are some great little life lessons in this story of adventure and friendship. Have your kids read it, or read it together. You’ll all enjoy it.
• 
  Milabooks

  La aventura que experimenta el caracol Carlos junto a su amigo la hormiga Eduardo, esta llena de pequeñas enseñanzas de vida, que pueden ser interpretadas de diferentes formas.
  Es un libro que está calificado para niños, sin embargo, creo que es una lectura atractiva para adultos, debido a que te enseña a que si ves las cosas desde otro punto de vista o si adoptas una actitud positiva, puedes cambiar la perspectiva de todo lo que te rodea.
  
  "Perderse es muy fácil; eso pasa a cada momento. Lo más difícil de todo es encontrarse."
• 
  Bethany

  One of our copies at the library was suggested that we get rid of this. So my boss started reading and she kept coming out laughing. One of my coworkers decided to read it and then suggested that I read this book. So glad she did!
  I read the first few chapters and I was dying laughing! If a book can make me laugh from the beginning, then I know it's going to be a great read :)
  This was a great book!
• 
  Heidi

  So fun & funny!
  It really reminded us of A.A. Milne. Quite delightful.
• 
  Ian

  These little, delightful tales, following two friends (a snail and an ant) in their travels along the branches of a tree, are full of wit, wisdom, and nonsense, reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh, The Little Prince, Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, and Arnold Lobel’s Owl At Home and Frog and Toad series. The world hasn’t seen such a pair of traveling friends since Boswell and Dr. Johnson!
• 
  Eileen

  This is a super cute book that my middle school student recommended to me. He said it was a childhood favorite and he encouraged me to find a copy and read it. I'm so glad he did. Avon the snail loves reading books, especially books about adventures and he longs for adventures of his own. He meets Edward the Ant and Edward convinces him to set off on an adventure and he ends up joining him. I was hooked as soon as the story opened with a lover of books--I knew that Avon was my kind of snail. Each chapter is a mini-adventure that would make a perfect read-aloud story for children. The silliness, humor, and bits of wisdom woven throughout are something both adults and children can appreciate. The illustrations are simple but fun, and I found myself smiling throughout. I discovered at the end that there is a second book, so I've already requested it from my library. It's a Hoopla book, so I don't get the feel of the pages in my hand, but at least I can read it!
• 
  Todd

  
  
  IF YOU LIKED THIS TRY...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Amanda

  I read this from beginning to end only because of curiosity. It was very short which is good because the writing grated on my nerves. I gave it 3 stars because it did make me think. You can have a grand adventure without leaving your neighborhood. It is all in perspective. I suppose I can’t expect a snail or an ant to have great intellect, even a literate one. Come to think of it I am not even sure how to put into words why this story bothered me so much. I almost stopped reading a few times but I kept telling myself “It’s almost over. Surely it can’t continue much more.” Or I would think, if I don’t finish I will never know if the snail actually has a great adventure. So I finished it. I recommend this to anyone who is curious and has a few minutes to walk in circles.
• 
  Marilyn

  I felt sorry for this book, having had it as part of various book displays in my school library for a number of months so I took it home and tried to read this with my kids (ages 9 and 11) but neither one of them really enjoyed it much so I finished it on my own. It’s a cute little tale about cute little animals and not a lot happens but it’s all rather sweet. It really appeals to the parent over the child I think so it’s a fail for kids and a (moderate) win for adults which is landing this squarely in the middle as I don’t know where else to put the star rating.
• 
  Art

  This book is an excellent way of using words and shift the meaning of words. I would relate this book to the story behind "Green Eggs and Ham" and "Frank and Ernest" cartoon strip, along w/the humor of "There is a Hair in My Dirt" by Gary Larson.
  
  Avi use of words and word meanings and the idea of an ant and a snail going on an adventure.
  
  A Must read.
• 
  Puppy Lover77

  This book was really cute! It's a good book to read,if you want a funny fiction book. Avon and Edward set off for an adventure and explore the outside world. Along the way they meet tons of creatures. I hope you like
  the book if you read it!
• 
  Caity

  I finally bought this book and sat down to read some of it to my younger siblings while we had a few minutes and we ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting. They loved it and I loved it again!!! :D
• 
  Nicole

  A very witty and enjoyable adventure from here to there, with many laughs along the way!
• 
  Leah Agirlandaboy

  So, so silly. Lots of absurdism and word play in the vein of Winnie-the-Pooh. My 7yo says, “I love it, love it, love it, love it!”