Sunday, July 17, 2011

Kid Konnection: Star of the Sea by Janet Halfmann


Kid Konnection is hosted each weekend by Julie at Booking Mama. This meme features anything to do with children's books.


Hardcover, 32 pages
Published May 24th 2011 by Henry Holt & Company
ISBN: 0805090738 (ISBN13: 9780805090734)
primary language English

The ochre sea star is the common starfish of the Pacific coast. With sticky tube feet, she can cling to the rocks but when high tide rolls in, the star is able to crawl on the land by pumping water into her feet.

Sea star hunts among the shore for a morning feast using her rays as a means of propulsion. Little eyespots at the end of each ray tell her light from dark. If somehow the sea star flips over she can manage to fold herself over in two and somerault back to normal position. What an agile acrobat the sea star is! When she finds a tasty mussel, she grips the shell with her strong feet. A tug-of-war ensues; the star fish wants the mussel open while the mussel struggles to stay closed.  Guess who wins; sea star of course!

If the sea star stays too long on the shore and not in the water, her tube feet will no longer work. She needs to keep them moist so she won't be vulnerable to the ever vigilant sea gulls. They can make short work of a sea star biting off one of her rays. The good news is if the star escapes, eventually her ray will grow back. How amazing is that?

As entertaining as Janet's book always are, they are also very educational. She successfully strives to instill wonder into young children about the natural world around them. At the end of all her books is some more information about the animal in the story along with a glossary. In this book, Joan Paley is the illustrator.

Janet Halfmann is the author of numerous award winning children's books and can be found at her website. Other books of Janet's that I have reviewed are: Little Skink's TailLittle Black Ant on Park Street, Good Night Little Sea Otter and Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was sent to me by the publisher in the hopes that I would review it.

6 comments:

  1. The cover attracted me immediately. I like that it's educational as well as entertaining. Writing this author's name down for when the granddaughter is a little older.

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  2. What a pretty cover! I just touched one of these at the Monterey Bay Aquarium petting pool.

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  3. I love that it's educational. It looks like a book kids would love.

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  4. This one may go on my to-buy list for one of the grandbebes. I have a glass container with starfish shells and other seashells and they are always asking me questions about the starfish!

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  5. Kaye, thanks so much for the wonderful review of my book. I appreciate it a great deal.

    Also, thanks to everyone who has stopped by for your nice comments. I, too, got to touch an ochre sea star at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. What an exciting experience! I had to examine every part of the starfish!

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  6. If I still had small kids I would so read this one!!

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