In One Tidepool: Crabs, Snails and Salty Tails

In One Tidepool:

Crabs, Snails and Salty Tails

Author: Anthony D. Fredericks

Illustrator: Jennifer DiRubbio

Copyright: 2002

Published by:  Dawn Publications

Number of Pages: 24

Genre:  Non-Fiction

            I chose this book because of the inviting cover.  When I picked up the book and flipped through the pages, I was immediately drawn to the gorgeous illustrations.  This book is about the tidepools.  The book tells about the different animals that live in the tidepools.  The book is a cumulative rhyme.  The story talks about all the different creatures that live in the tidepool.  The story mentions crabs, barnacles, anemones, snails, starfishes and sponges.  My favorite part of the book is on the first page.  It is a letter to the reader written by the sea star. 

            The illustrations in this story are rendered in realistic watercolors.  The colors in this story are very vivid.  There are rich blues used to depict the water. The illustrators use brilliant coral colors and turquoise colors.  The red color in the sea star is a rich and vivid red. The illustrations are done on full page spreads.  There is a great attention to detail.  The text placement in this book is informal.

            This book would be appropriate for ages 4 years old up to about 10 years old.   I would use this book to teach about sea life.  I would specifically use it to talk about tidepools and the sea life that inhabits it.  I would also use this book to teach about ecology and the environment.    This book would also be great in a poetry unit because of its unique cumulative quality.  This book has won the Missouri State Teachers Association Recommended Reading List award.