SHELLS! SHELLS! SHELLS!

On a trip to the beach, Buddy Bear collects seashells and his Mama teaches him about the animals that made them. Buddy is the perfect curious pupil; young readers will experience the sights, sounds and textures of the beach through his senses. Mama introduces lots of mollusk vocabulary, explaining in easy-to-understand language what each new word means, and linking it to words and concepts that children already know (mantle and skin, bivalve and bicycle). Wallace presents quite a bit of information, and she will keep readers’ attention by breaking up the learning with Buddy’s numerous snack breaks and clever wordplay jokes. The artwork is a combination of cut-paper and real shells. The curious result keeps the focus on the shells, highlighting each one and making sure none blends into the background. Backmatter presents a few more seashell facts and gives directions in making a bookmark. A stellar introduction to mollusks and the shells they make; an informative, accessible and necessary addition to any seaside library and every school where oceans are studied. (Nonfiction. 5-9)