It's a Seashell Day

PreS-Gr 1—A young boy walks down to the seashore with his mother to search and dig for seashells. He discovers shells in many shapes and sizes, and even a couple objects that are not shells. He excitedly counts his treasures and upon returning home creates a display. Each shell is labeled, and the final page offers an array of fun facts about shells and shell-dwelling creatures. This book's illustrations are truly gorgeous, done in a highly detailed cut-paper collage. Bright, joyful colors and sand that appears to have a true "sandy" texture also contribute to the visual appeal. The rhyming text in this book is simple, though a couple of rhymes feel a tad forced: "I count other shells— five, six, seven, eight. My shells are curvy—never straight." The boy's mother provides her son and curious, beachcombing readers with some valuable insight. "This shell is a home," she explains as she holds up a snail. "Let's put it back to live in the sea." Discovering the purpose of shells for small marine animals may inspire some young readers to learn more, as might the beautiful variety of shells the boy displays at the end.