Little Gems: The Snake Who Came to Stay

Polly has set up a pets’ holiday home for the summer. But with a house full of greedy guinea pigs, pesky parrots and slithering snakes, Mum is getting more fed up by the day! So it’s the last straw when Doris the snake goes missing. Can Polly find Doris before the hungry snake finds the guinea pigs? A fantastically funny short novel by Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson, vividly illustrated by Hannah Shaw. This clever and witty story is part of the new Little Gems series from Barrington Stoke, designed to please confident readers while holding out a helping hand to those in need of extra support.

Suitable for ages 5-10 with a reading age of 6+.

Recent reviews

  • When I saw this book I wanted to read it straight away.

    My favourite part was when the guinea pigs ran away. I liked it when the snake was sleeping as well.

    Madison, aged 6

    23 October 2012

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Authors

  • Photo of Julia Donaldson

    Julia Donaldson

    Julia Donaldson is one of the UK’s best loved authors, known for brilliant picture books like The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Stick Man. She was also the Children’s Laureate 2011-2013.

    Awards

    Julia has won many major book prizes, including the Smarties and Blue Peter Awards for The Gruffalo, the Blue Peter and Sheffield Children’s Book Prizes for Room on the Broom, the British Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year for The Gruffalo’s Child and the Red House Award for Super Worm. Julia was also the Children’s Laureate 2011-2013.

  • Awards

    Hannah won the Cambridgeshire Picture Book Award in 2009 for Evil Weasel, and was also the illustrator of The Great Hamster Massacre which won the 2010 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.

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