post written by Esther Filbrun

Title: A House for Hermit Crab
Author: Eric Carle
Major Themes: Ocean Life
Synopsis: Hermit Crab needs a new home, but when he finds it, it is too plain for him.

In January, poor little Hermit Crab realizes he needs a new house, because his house is too small. He finds a new home in February, but it’s awfully plain, so he starts adding decorations—sea anemones in March, starfish in April, and so on. With delightful pictures and simple text, young children get a glimpse of sea life as they learn about the sequence of the months. My 6-year-old loves this story, which was a gift from an aunt. (His little brother loves it, too!) I love the pictures, and that there is a story for little children which goes along with what we find in the rock pools along the coast where we live. What I don’t like so much is the anthropomorphism (animals acting like humans). I would prefer a story in which the animals acted more realistically.

WARNING: As stated in last two sentences.

Age Levels:

Read Aloud—Ages 1 – 2, 3 – 4, 5 – 8
Reading Independently—Ages 5 – 6, 7 – 9

Links to buy A House for Hermit Crab:

Amazon: Paperback | Hardcover | Board Book

AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Keywords: Ocean Life