Despite its linguistic charms, Horowitz's (Bat Time) quiet text reads more like a science lesson than a full-fledged story. The plot is minimal: under the full moon, seven-year-old Daniel and his mother watch as streams of horseshoe crabs lay their eggs on the beach and, the next morning, Daniel helps an overturned crab return to the sea. Chock-full of information, the dialogue is unfortunately stilted. "The full moon in June brings the high tide of the horseshoe crabs," says Daniel's mother. "That's a female. The smaller crab on her back is a male." The plot's two-page conflict at the end of the book, about Daniel deciding to flip over a crab even though he's nervous about touching it, does not contain much in the way of suspense. On the other hand, Horowitz's poetic descriptions are buried throughout the text as smooth as sea glass. The reader sees how "the fat, round face of the full moon wavered on the surface of the water" and "curly black seaweed was strewn on the sand, like streamers left over from a party." Kiesler's seascapes are skillfully rendered but static, trading the ethereal qualities of her Fishing for a Dream for realism. Glowing yet somber, they do little to engage readers' emotions in Daniel's mild adventure. Ages 6-9. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
Crab Moon is a gem. Ruth Horowitz's evocative prose brings to life an experience that few people will get to have--witnessing thousands of horseshoe crabs massing on the beach under the full moon for their annual egg-laying. Kate Kiesler's paintings express the mood perfectly. The book tells a simple story. Daniel is woken in the night by his mother, and taken to the beach to watch the crabs. The next morning, he goes out alone to find a crab stranded on her back. He empathizes with the odd-looking creature, and finds a way of turning her over so that she may return to the sea. Crab Moon is salted with interesting horseshoe crab facts, and it allows readers to share in Daniel's feeling of connection with a threatened and misunderstood species. But while the book both informs the reader and evokes respect for nature's creations, its tone is always poetic rather than pedantic or preachy. In fact, with its warm, dreamy feel and its invoking of ancient natural rhythms, Crab Moon should make an ideal bedtime story.
