High Tide for Horseshoe Crabs

Review By KRISTIN WALD

Following in the tradition of storytelling as a vehicle to share information about the world around us, High Tide for Horseshoe Crabs teaches readers with the seasonal cycle of horseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay. The simple, clear separation of events (It’s Starting; They’re Arriving; They’re Laying; etceteras) encourages both read-aloud and independent reading. The beautiful illustrations will encourage questions, discussion, and discovery as the book travels through its events.

On the cover, most noticeable about the Horseshoe Crab is the round tag that looks like a CD. It’s only halfway through the book that we discover why it is there, which provides lots of time for wondering and guessing its meaning. And along the way, readers meet shorebirds, scientists, tourists, and eggs that will someday become a new generation of horseshoe crabs.

My children were curious, and a little disturbed, in the section titled They’re Feasting, during which shorebirds gobble thousands of horseshoe crab eggs over two weeks. They were relieved that “plenty of little green horseshoe crab eggs” survived to grow to miniature horseshoe crabs in the next section.

The simplicity of the storybook is enhanced by the end section that provides detailed, higher-level information about the book’s events, so both child and caretaker can learn. In fact, it may be helpful for adults to read the end pages prior to sharing High Tide for Horseshoe Crabs with children. The lists for further investigation, activities, and videos to watch online make sure that interest in the horseshoe crabs will continue each time the book is read.

Ages 3 to 7.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.