Did You Make the Hole in the Shell in the Sea?

by Janice S.C. Petrie

It’s easy to spot a shell with a neatly drilled hole as you walk along the shoreline, but do you have any idea how the hole got there? Could a shark have made this hole, or was some other sea creature responsible? Follow along as an adventurous girl seeks to discover the truth behind this mystery of the sea.

“Did You Make the Hole in the Shell in the Sea?” has rhythmic and rhyming text, and simply drawn illustrations that are brightly colored and inviting. Each expressive character helps to bring the story to life, and although the story is fictitious, all of the characters tell an authentic tale of what really happens at the edge of the sea. The repetitive text and rich vocabulary make this a fun read aloud, and the perfect choice for a family bedtime story. “Did You Make the Hole in the Shell in the Sea” is an entertaining choice for any classroom teacher who’s studying the sea, and searching for a fun book packed with true facts about coastal marine life, including sea stars, lobsters, moon snails, and seagulls.

Don’t miss this seaside adventure. The journey is about to begin. And the next time you find a shell at the beach with a perfectly drilled hole, you’ll know exactly what made the hole in the shell in the sea!

“Did You Make the Hole in the Shell in the Sea?” is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, and your favorite bookstore. The Kindle version of “Did You Make the Hole in the Shell in the Sea?” is available for download now.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 18, 2013

About the author

Petrie has been enchanted by the sea for as long as she can remember. She became a certified SCUBA diver while in high school, and spent many years exploring coastal waters. Her fascination with marine invertebrates grew while working for the New England Aquarium as an Outreach Specialist. Since then, she’s spent years caring for these fascinating sea animals, and teaching children and adults about the habitats and sea life commonly found near the shore. The material covered in her children's stories are topics commonly taught by Petrie in her popular sea animal programs. Petrie has experience in all facets of the sea, having spent several years as the assistant plant manager of a large, Gloucester/Boston seafood company.

In her free time, Petrie made many trips to the Ossipee, New Hampshire area to visit with the Ossipee Historical Society, the Carroll County Courthouse, and the Concord State Library, trying to piece together the events of 1916 that kept everyone mesmerized while the tragic story was unfolding, yet was seldom mentioned years later. She gained interest in this story after learning the cottage she spent a single night vacationing in as a baby, seemed to be occupied by an unsettling presence.

As a certified teacher, grades K-8, and a Reading Specialist, all ages, Petrie has earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees in the field of education, with a concentration in reading. Petrie also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art, with a graphic design concentration. Petrie has been traveling throughout the United States, reading her books and teaching children and adults about the sea animals she's spent her life getting to know.