Starred review from December 15, 2023
After 30-plus years, McDonald's acclaimed first title gets bright new illustrations in this reissue. A hermit crab that's outgrown his shell seeks a suitable replacement onshore--he needs to stay safe from porcupine fish. His investigations lead him from a too-heavy rock to a too-noisy tin can and on to driftwood (too dark), a plastic pail (too deep), and a burrow (too crowded). After rejecting a fishing net ("too many holes"), the hermit crab is swept out to sea, where a porcupine fish sets its sights on him. The crab races over to a sea snail, whose shell proves empty. Hermit Crab climbs inside, and the porcupine fish swims off. McDonald's tale sparkles as brightly as ever, with patterned repetition perfect for both group and one-to-one sharing. A former children's librarian, she helps young children identify with the tiny crab's quest for safety and independence while tacitly acknowledging that they might know more about the inefficacy of the creature's test homes. (Driftwood isn't just dark inside; it floats. And a net's more hole than not.) Tillotson's vibrant mixed-media illustrations ramp up the drama early, with the porcupine fish looming offshore as Hermit Crab begins his search. The quest unfolds through double-page spreads, and it all comes to a satisfying resolution, with Hermit Crab in a new home that fits "just right." Up-to-date facts on hermit crabs and resources are appended. A fresh, welcome return for a time-tested tale. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from January 1, 2024
Preschool-Grade 3 *Starred Review* After Hermit Crab outgrows his shell, he searches for a new one. He tries a rock (too heavy), a rusty tin can (too noisy), a piece of hollowed-out driftwood (too dark), a plastic pail (too deep), and even a hole in the sand (too crowded). After becoming entangled in a net, he frees himself, but a gigantic wave sweeps him back into the sea. A prickly porcupine fish notices the crab, who quickly hides in an empty shell nearby and clamps his claw over the opening. Baffled, the fish swims away. Though written primarily in prose, the text includes a rhyming refrain, repeated each time Hermit Crab resumes his search: "He stepped along the shore, / by the sea, in the sand . . . / scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch." And each search but the last ends with the question in the title. Few picture-book writers have used a repeated, rhythmic rhyme as successfully as McDonald did in her first book, Is This a House for Hermit Crab? (1990), handsomely illustrated by S. D. Schindler. With only minor changes to the narrative, this new edition features Tillotson's lively, colorful illustrations and, in the back matter, informative notes on hermit crabs. A welcome new edition of a memorable read-aloud favorite.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
May 1, 2024
First published in 1990 (with illustrations by S. D. Schindler), this story of a hermit crab's quest for a safe new home appears in a bright reissue with fresh illustrations. Hermit Crab has outgrown his shell, which leaves him unprotected in a sea of predators. Dramatic art created with watercolor, finger paint, and acrylics shows an orange hermit crab on the shore, contrasting with a blue sea that barely masks the shadow of the ominous porcupine fish. From page to page, with dangers lurking throughout, our protagonist checks out a variety of problematic living arrangements: a too-heavy rock, a too-noisy tin can, a too-deep plastic pail. The rich illustrations depict this intrepid and personable little creature from multiple perspectives on his real-estate journey while the text moves along in patterned rhythm. After each failed attempt, Hermit Crab transitions to the next with a refrain that invites audience participation: "So he stepped along the shore, by the sea, in the sand...scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch." The narrative takes a dark turn when a wave catches Hermit Crab, taking him down into the sea with the hungry porcupine fish. Mercifully, he finds his new home just in time. The book closes with a note from the author and a double-page spread with hermit crab facts and a resource list. Julie Roach
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
January 1, 2024
First published in 1990 (with illustrations by S. D. Schindler), this story of a hermit crab's quest for a safe new home appears in a bright reissue with fresh illustrations. Hermit Crab has outgrown his shell, which leaves him unprotected in a sea of predators. Dramatic art created with watercolor, finger paint, and acrylics shows an orange hermit crab on the shore, contrasting with a blue sea that barely masks the shadow of the ominous porcupine fish. From page to page, with dangers lurking throughout, our protagonist checks out a variety of problematic living arrangements: a too-heavy rock, a too-noisy tin can, a too-deep plastic pail. The rich illustrations depict this intrepid and personable little creature from multiple perspectives on his real-estate journey while the text moves along in patterned rhythm. After each failed attempt, Hermit Crab transitions to the next with a refrain that invites audience participation: "So he stepped along the shore, by the sea, in the sand...scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch." The narrative takes a dark turn when a wave catches Hermit Crab, taking him down into the sea with the hungry porcupine fish. Mercifully, he finds his new home just in time. The book closes with a note from the author and a double-page spread with hermit crab facts and a resource list.
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)