The Crab Man

If you've every seen the brightly-painted crabs for sale in the pet stores, this heartfelt story will give you a whole new perspective. Neville faces a difficult decision when he learns what becomes of the hermit crabs he has been collecting for the Crab Man. The boy forgoes his goal of buying his mother a new dress with his earnings, and instead decides to rescue his crab friends from inhumane treatment. The story is beautifully told by Van West, who depicts Neville and his island home with rich detail.

Even though he stands to lose precious income, a young Jamaican boy trusts his feelings of empathy for the helpless crabs who are forced to race at a big resort and takes action. No heavy-handed preaching, just a gentle morality tale where the child is the hero. A lovely book.

The Crab Man provides a fascinating glimpse at Jamaican life through a child's eyes. Beyond that, it tells a compelling story that children all over the world can understand. As little Neville struggles with a tough decision, readers (and listeners!) have a chance to examine their own values and feelings about the earth's creatures. The writing is graceful and clear; the illustrations bring the story's rich setting to life. It's a perfect book to read aloud, but older children will also enjoy making their way through the pages alone.

I was planning a trip to Jamaica this fall and needed some books to take along. I was looking for something my 3 year old would enjoy, as well as learn something about the island. What we found was The Crab Man--an exceptional story about a young boy's realization that money isn't everything, even when being spent on good intentions. This story has humor, a realistic storyline and a will appeal to animal lovers worldwide. My son not only enjoyed the book, but when we arrived in Jamaica he wanted to find the crab man and set free those "poor little crabs!"

The Crab Man touches the intense feeling children have toward fairness and love of animals. When the life of these crabs are threatened, our hero saves them. A comfortable read. The message comes through loud and clear, we can each do a little, and everyone is important. Two thumbs up!