Seashells by the Seashore

"Sue walks along the seashore/warmed by the sun./Picking up seashells one by one..." Author, Marianne Berkes, takes readers on a wondrous seaside adventure in her third picture book, Seashells By The Seashore. Come count the beautiful shells, learn their names, and watch your collection grow on the lefthand border of each two page spread as you walk along the beach..... Ms Berkes lilting, rhyming text is engaging and complemented by Robert Noreika's captivating watercolor illustrations. Together, word and art send you to the beach on a hot summer day, and you'll almost be able to feel the sand between your toes, hear the crash of the waves, and smell the salty sea air. Additional information about each shell and the mollusks that live inside can be found at the end of the book, and young nature detectives, ages 4-8, will revel in this joyous, fun-filled hike along the shore.

Seashells by the Seashore had my five and seven year olds running to find shells they had already collected to discover their names. To their delight, the shells they had were featured in the book. What I particularly like about the book is its interactive nature, encouraging children to go beyond the pages and explore the seashore searching for the shells they had read and learned about. My children are planning to bring the book on an upcoming beach vacation, and the pull-out shell reference card, an added bonus.

Berkes's has done it again and this time the subject of her book is one of my favorite nature items! A truly informative book; I can finally name all the sea shells I have thanks to the descriptions within the story and glossary at the end. The unique set up of this book identifies each shell as the main character finds them which can be used to promote counting in young children, and memory/matching games for older children. Berkes also includes questions at the end to foster further investigation in the reader. The pull-out, waterproof shell identification chart merits a field trip to the beach. Noreika's breath taking watercolor illustrations illuminate the shoreline from morning to dusk. The book's poignant ending instills the value that a gift from the heart is better than a monetary one.

I've been searching for this book for years in every seashore community I've been in. This book is just perfect for kids from 2 all the way to adulthood. We adults love to look for shells and identify them too. I bought several books to distribute on our annual get together at the beach. The illustrations are wonderful and actually go with the text. I like the counting and addition of one new shell each page. Great book for anyone who loves the seashore and the search for seashells. That's all of us, right?

Charmingly written by Marianne Berkes and featuring the artwork of Robert Noreika, Seashells By The Seashore is a beautifully illustrated color picturebook story, written in simple rhyming verse, about a young girl who combs the beach collecting various and fascinating different shells. The importance of conservation and living in harmony with nature is alluded to, in a wonderful, very highly recommended picturebook story that comes with a tear-out seashell identification card for budding collectors.