Ruth Horowitz (2)

One June night, under the full moon, Daniel’s mother wakes him up to see the extraordinary sight of horseshoe crabs spawning on the beach, just as they have every spring for an awesome 350 million years. But when Daniel returns in the morning, he finds only one lonely crab, marooned upside down in the sand. Can he possibly save it? Like a perfect day at the beach, Crab Moon leaves an indelible memory of a special adventure between parent and child, and a quiet message about doing our part show more to preserve even earth’s oldest creatures. Back matter includes a note about horseshoe crabs. show less

In my opinion, Crab Moon is a great book for two reasons. First, it provides important, factual information about horseshoe crabs. Horseshoe crabs are an endangered species, therefore I think it is crucial that people, especially students, learn about them. The story describes different aspects of horseshoe crabs, like how they spawn on beaches. Another aspect of this book that I liked was that it incorporated a familial bond between a mother and son. The two discovered the horseshoe crabs show more together, and I think that this added some sentimental value to the story. The big point in this story is to educate people about horseshoe crabs and to inspire others to help preserve endangered species. show less

I liked this book for two reasons. One reason would be its connection to life science and even children's curriculum in the classroom. The story tells about a young boy Daniel, whose mother shows and teaches him about the spawning of the horseshoe crab. She takes him to the beach and he sees how they venture out into the ocean in the middle of the night. The author puts the actions in child-friendly terms and engages the reader with Daniel's background story. His curiosity of these crabs is show more sure to draw children in with their own curiosity and leave them wanting to learn even more. In the back of the book there is an "About Horseshoe Crabs" page, where children can read fun and interesting facts to further their exploration. The second reason I liked this book was for its illustrations. They are beautiful and give the story an extremely realistic feel. For example, the drawings of the crabs on the beach look as if like they could crawl off the page. Overall, the big idea of this book would be to learn something new about things that may not look as familiar to you as others. show less

What’s the coolest pet in town? A dog! No. A Cat! Not even close. It’s a…bug! At least that’s what brothers Sam and Leo think after their mom lets them bring home two hissing cockroaches from her laboratory. The boys eagerly dive into their newfound responsibility, but awaken one day to find far more than they bargained for: babies! In a comical turn of events, the boys devise in a series of crafty plans to solve their over-population problem. Despite their best efforts, the duo is show more met with an equal number of failures, that is, until their mother directs them to the library. Harnessing the power of knowledge and information, Sam and Leo finally uncover a solution that will leave everyone smiling—including the charismatic insects. This upper-level easy reader provides an opportunity for children to practice autonomy, encounter more challenging words in a familiar context, and engage in longer bouts of reading. Consisting of forty-eight pages divided among five short chapters (titled in the table of contents), the book is chocked full of sight words along with more complex vocabulary. Through an artful play on words and rhyming conventions, the witty dialog conveys both humor and excitement. Found on each page, an array of bright cartoon-like paintings complements the text, enhances comprehension, and aids the reader in visualizing the scene. With its emphasis on curiosity, science, and problem-solving, young readers are likely to become immersed in this jovial tale. show less