Between the Tides

by Fran Hodgkins

What happens to the denizens of the tidal zone when the sea recedes every 12 hours? This is the question that Hodgkins answers in a playful yet instructive way. Children are introduced to crabs, sea urchins, mussels, sea worms, starfish, lobsters, periwinkles, and other creatures that must adapt to constantly changing conditions. Previously announced spring 2006.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Fran Hodgkins always loved nature and science, and loved writing as well, so it seemed only logical that she would grow up to write about science and nature for children. Her first book, The Orphan Seal, received the Henry Bergh Children's Book Award from the ASPCA. Her book How People Learned to Fly is an exemplar in the Common Core ELA standards.

Fran has written more than 20 books for young readers. Her most recent, The Secret Galaxy, came out in October 2014 from Tilbury House Publishers.

Fran lives in Midcoast Maine.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a much easier time with its readers if they are already awed by tides and the beach. The underlying theme is the responses of various animals to the receding tides, with the alternating pages showing both high and low tide conditions. The illustrations are well suited to capturing life on the beach and at the edge of the ocean.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those great picture books that allows you to read just a sentence per two page spread with your younger child or a more detailed short paragraph with an older one without loosing the meaning of the book. My just turned 2 son is still in the I-love-turning-pages stage so I appreciate the ability to convey the short without getting cut off in the middle of each page!

The use of the repeating line "If you lived where the sea was, and then wasn't, you could..." was lovely since it has a tidal feel when read aloud and pre-readers love the interactive structure repeating lines give to books. The choice of tidal creatures would be appealing for those on both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. The author includes more details on how the moon creates the tides at the end of the story which is a nice detail in non-fiction picture books.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you lived where the sea was, and then wasn't, you could..."

Every page explains how another ocean/beach dwelling organism adapts to tides moving.

Great illustrations reminiscent of Mary Flair era Disney art direction.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

We learned a lot about tides, and what the animals do to accomodate. Great nonfiction.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great add on for Apologia Zoology 2.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about different ways sea life has adapted to tidal zones. The first page sets the scene with 2 full paragraphs, while the rest of the pages are filled with lush illustrations and less text. Each spread starts, "If you lived where the sea was [big space] and then wasn't, you could ...", shows a particular animal, and ends the sentence with that animal's adaptation. For example, "... Keep a little bit of the sea with you," with a picture of mussels. There's a paragraph of a few sentences at the bottom that identifies the animal and explains the adaptation. It's very well done for reading and discussing with young children. If they're not focused or interested, you can go through pretty quickly just reading the "If you ... you could" sentences, but when something catches their interest, there's enough in the additional text and illustrations to spark a real conversation about what's going on. Great balance! And the illustrations are fabulous.