The Snail and the Whale

The thrilling tale of a tiny snail and a great big grey-blue humpback whale . . .

A rhyming story about adventure and friendship, The Snail and the Whale is a bestselling classic by the unparalleled picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo.

One little snail longs to see the world and hitches a lift on the tail of an enormous whale. Together they go on an amazing journey – and when disaster strikes and the whale is beached in a bay, it's the tiny snail's big plan that saves the day.

This classic story has sold over 8 million copies worldwide and is a must-have addition to the bookshelves of all Donaldson and Scheffler fans – big and small!

'Bold and brilliant, wise and wacky' - The Times

Look out for Gruffalo Granny, the brand new Gruffalo picture book adventure - coming on 10th September 2026!

Discover more picture books by Julia and Axel: The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child and Room on the Broom.