Crab Moon (Read and Wonder) - Softcover

Horowitz, Ruth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 076362313X ISBN 13: 9780763623135

Publisher: Candlewick, 2004

Synopsis

Like a perfect day at the beach, Crab Moon leaves an indelible memory of a special adventure, and a quiet message about doing our part to preserve earth's oldest creatures.

One June night, under the full moon, Daniel’s mother wakes him up to see the extraordinary sight of horseshoe crabs spawning on the beach, just as they have every spring for an awesome 350 million years. But when Daniel returns in the morning, he finds only one lonely crab, marooned upside down in the sand. Can he possibly save it? Like a perfect day at the beach, Crab Moon leaves an indelible memory of a special adventure between parent and child, and a quiet message about doing our part to preserve even earth’s oldest creatures. Back matter includes a note about horseshoe crabs.

About this title

About the Author:

Ruth Horowitz is "drawn to species that get overlooked because they're not big-eyed or cuddly or cute. I hope this book will show readers the rewards of reaching out to a being that may seem utterly alien at first glance."

Kate Kiesler makes her home in the mountains but enjoyed painting the seashore. "On a snowy day I could walk into my studio and be at the beach. Sometimes I could almost smell the salty air."

From Publishers Weekly:

Despite its linguistic charms, Horowitz's (Bat Time) quiet text reads more like a science lesson than a full-fledged story. The plot is minimal: under the full moon, seven-year-old Daniel and his mother watch as streams of horseshoe crabs lay their eggs on the beach and, the next morning, Daniel helps an overturned crab return to the sea. Chock-full of information, the dialogue is unfortunately stilted. "The full moon in June brings the high tide of the horseshoe crabs," says Daniel's mother. "That's a female. The smaller crab on her back is a male." The plot's two-page conflict at the end of the book, about Daniel deciding to flip over a crab even though he's nervous about touching it, does not contain much in the way of suspense. On the other hand, Horowitz's poetic descriptions are buried throughout the text as smooth as sea glass. The reader sees how "the fat, round face of the full moon wavered on the surface of the water" and "curly black seaweed was strewn on the sand, like streamers left over from a party." Kiesler's seascapes are skillfully rendered but static, trading the ethereal qualities of her Fishing for a Dream for realism. Glowing yet somber, they do little to engage readers' emotions in Daniel's mild adventure. Ages 6-9. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 076362313X
• ISBN 13: 9780763623135
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Kiesler Kate