Bob and Shirley (Easy-to-Read, Puffin) [Mass Market Paperback]

Harriet Ziefert (Author), Mavis Smith (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Easy-to-Read, Puffin

Bob and Shirley are two huge lobsters who live in the ocean near Maine. One day they are caught in a net. Will they end up as someone's dinner? This amazing true story includes Science Fun activities to encourage children to observe and learn.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Two fictionalized accounts of true incidents reported in newspapers. A Snake Mistake tells of a farmer's efforts to fool his hens into laying more eggs by placing fake eggs--light bulbs--in their nests. The bulbs not only tricked the hens but a snake as well, who ate them and then had to have them surgically removed. Bob and Shirley is the story of two large, old lobsters who were taken from Maine waters and shipped to a fish market in Philadelphia. When their plight was made public, protesters picketed the market, and the lobsters were returned to the ocean. Smith's illustrations for each title are clear, bright, and uncluttered; they complement the straightforward and unusual story lines. First- and second-grade readers will find these titles just right. The size and style of the type is appropriate for the targeted audience, but not oversized, and the stories are motivating enough to be useful with older, less able readers. These first entries in a new series should be a big success. --Sharron McElmeel, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, IA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140387927
• ISBN-13: 978-0140387926
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.7 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,664,463 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Harriet Ziefert was born in New Jersey. She grew up in North Bergen, New Jersey, where she attended the local schools. She graduated from Smith College, then received a Masters degree in Education from New York University. "About twelve years ago," says Ziefert in a 1995 interview, "I tried to get a job as an editor, but no one would hire me as a trade editor. So I decided to write my own books." Since then, she has written several hundred books, mostly picture books and easy-to-read books. "I write books very quickly," she says, "in about twelve hours. I rewrite them three times over three days, and then they're done." She writes about twenty books a year. Ziefert's picture book A New Coat for Anna is about a girl in a bombed-out European city during the months just after World War II. Anna has outgrown her old coat, and her mother trades her few surviving treasures--a watch, a lamp, a necklace, and a porcelain teapot--in order to obtain wool and have it spun, woven, and finally sewn into a fine red coat for Anna. A Horn Book Magazine reviewer stated, "the simple text, based on a true story, carries the narrative along effectively." The book, which was illustrated by Anita Lobel, was chosen as one of ten books to be read aloud by former First Lady Barbara Bush as part of a program promoting reading. Ziefert was invited to the White House for the occasion. The reason Ziefert began writing easy-to-read books was that she felt "they were getting too hard for kids to read in the first grade." She says that she wrote easy-to-read books with seventy-five or fewer words, even ones with fifty or fewer words, "to see how much of a story" she could produce with that limit. She enjoyed the challenge, and cites her book Sleepy Dog as an example. "Sleepy Dog is the most successful book I've ever done, in terms of number of books sold." She's also been working on a developmental program with publisher Dorling Kindersley, made up of books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Her book Pete's Chicken, which was illustrated by Laura Rader, was reviewed in the New York Times Book Review as "a simple, sweet 'Song of Myself' for children . . . [which] applauds the specialness of every child as it reminds parents of the healing power of just being there for children." Among her other books is a series of easy-to-read books, such as Trip Day and Worm Day, about an inventive science teacher and his rambunctious class of students. Ziefert's book Let's Get a Pet was named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children by a joint committee of the National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council. . Ms. Ziefert lives in Maplewood, New Jersey and Lincoln, Massachusetts. She has two adult sons.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars True Story of 2 Lobsters Who Get a 2nd Chance at Life, September 1, 2011

By 

Nicola Manning (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bob and Shirley (Easy-to-Read, Puffin) (Mass Market Paperback)

Reason for Reading: Ds read aloud to me as his reader.

This is a cute book we've had for quite some time. I read it aloud to ds a few times when he was much younger and to older brother way back closer to the time when the book was originally published. Finally it went into the pile of readers. Based on a true story, this tells of how two lobsters from Maine, where laws protect lobsters over 25 pounds, were caught in a net and taken to Rhode Island. Their travels took them through several states until they ended up in a Philadelphia window display. When it was realized that the lobsters were from Maine and word got out people took peaceful action to save the lobsters from the dinner table and have them sent back to their home in Maine waters. An interesting true-life story. Sympathy lies with the lobsters, of course, but the point of view is fair and the fishermen and fishseller are never made out to be bad guys. A fun story, too bad it is out of print, but worth while picking up at a reasonable used price, especially for animal lovers.