Shells! Shells! Shells! [Hardcover]

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2007 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

What makes shells? How do shells grow? Why are some shells bumpy? Buddy and his mother spend a delightful day at teh beach. They collect shells, and Buddy's mother explains how they are made. She answers Buddy's many questions about whelks, mussles, clams, and the rest of their discoveries. With her signature artwork using recycled paper, markers, crayons, actual shells, and colored pencils, Nancy Elizabeth Wallace takes a closer look at everything a child will enjoy seeing. This book is a perfect introduction to environmental science and biology, but will also be useful to all enthusiastic beachcombers. A bookmark craft activity and a page of shell facts are included.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–Buddy and his mother make a spring trip to the ocean. As they stroll along the sandy beach, the inquisitive cub collects treasures. As he adds each shell to his bucket, his mother tells him its name and shares pertinent details about it. The book concludes with additional shell details and clear directions for crafting an I Shell Return bookmark. Mingled with the creative paper-cut illustrations are many crisp, color photographs. Front endpapers show examples of cold-water shells, while back endpapers feature samples of warm-water shells. This book would be a wonderful selection for caregivers to read as preparation for a beach trip. It also integrates well with primary-grade units on marine life.–Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

A bear named Buddy and his mother stroll along the shore picking up seashells at low tide. During their morning at the beach, Mama provides interesting facts and plenty of food, while Buddy makes discoveries, relates the sea animals' external skeletons to his own internal one, discovers the sound of the ocean in a shell, and learns that a conchologist is one who "collects shells and looks at shells and learns all about shells." The collage illustrations use cut papers to create the characters and setting, as well as photo elements to depict actual shells, making the book all the more useful. The shells show up well in contrast to the plain colors and flat surfaces that serve as their backdrops. The closing pages present miscellaneous facts about shells and instructions for making a theme-related bookmark. From the author/illustrator of Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! (2004) and Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! (2003), here's another playful yet informative introduction to nature. Phelan, Carolyn
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Childrens Books (March 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761453326
• ISBN-13: 978-0761453321
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A shell of a good book, April 5, 2009

By 

Heather Martin (The Republic of Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shells! Shells! Shells! (Hardcover)

We read this today and absolutely loved it. A young bear and his mom go to the beach and he asks all kinds of questions about how shells are formed. His mother gives very simple yet clear explanations. We learned a TON of stuff and it was so easy for the kids to understand. There are several jokes sprinkled throughout which my kids loved.

The pictures are cute paper cut-outs but the shells are actual photographs and are very clear so you get a good feel for what they actually look like.

When we were done we grabbed our small shell collection and they immediately started sorting them into bivalve and univalve groups and talked about how gastropods live in univalve shells. They looked for indications of when the mollusk had growth spurts and for pigmentation as well. I was thrilled to see how much they'd understood and then to see them apply it.

Very highly recommended for elementary age kids. Older kids may not like the "little kid" type look. Even my 2-yr-old sat in fascination.

I'm going to look into other works by this author. Very impressed.

*taken from my review at goodreads

5.0 out of 5 stars The two bears have a fine time and kids also receive a fine introduction, September 6, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shells! Shells! Shells! (Hardcover)

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace's SHELLS! SHELLS! SHELLS! tells of Buddy and his mother, who spend a day at the beach collecting and learning about shells. The two bears have a fine time and kids also receive a fine introduction to the magic of shells and shell collecting, but in an easy picturebook form.