Tide Pool Troubles

Shelby & Watts #1

by Ashlyn Anstee

There isn't a mystery that Shelby & Watts can't solve! They're saving the environment, one case at a time.

Meet Shelby & Watts! Shelby loves a good mystery. And her best friend, Watts, is never without his encyclopedia.

When Shelby gets a letter from Fred the hermit crab claiming that all the shells are missing from the beach, she and Watts are just the duo to help him. With Shelby's deductive skills and Watts's scientific knowledge, there's no case the two of them can't solve--one environmental mystery at a time!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Mystery, Childrens, Animals, Juvenile, Nature, Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 2021

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute graphic novel style mystery featuring kind, supportive friends Shelby and Watts (I think we can all guess their famous literary counterparts) Shelby is a sleuth and Watts is a font of knowledge, so together they help solve the mystery of why the sea shells have disappeared from the beach (the hermit crab really needs a bigger one!) Incorporates some factual information about sea creatures and a gentle age-appropriate message of caring for nature. (I do wish there was a bibliography or suggestions for further reading, though.) I would definitely look for more books in this series. Both my kids enjoyed it. Oh! and I had no idea that hermit crabs line up to swap shells! So cool! I had to look it up and we found this awesome video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpjkl...

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tide Pool Troubles is a cute children's graphic novel that has a Watson and Holmes flair to it. It follows two main characters Shelby and Watts who love solving mysteries that impact their animal community. This specific book focuses on finding a hermit crab a new shell. Written in a way that is accessible to younger audiences and tackles themes of conservationism, this isn't one that you want to miss!

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shelby (a fox) and Watts (a badger) are next door neighbors and friends. When Shelby gets a letter from Fred (a hermit crab), asking for help finding a bigger shell, the friends use their respective skills to solve what ends up being a mystery: where have all the tide pool shells gone? Along the way, readers learn snippets about the habitat and inhabitants of tide pools. It’s a cute, environment-friendly story for early elementary readers.

I like the cozy, friendly tone of the book, and Shelby and Watts’ work on the mystery is a nice model of collaboration. The digital graphic art is uncluttered and easy to read for kids new to graphic novels. Six short chapters are followed by a few pages at the end of “Earth-Saving Tips from Shelby & Watts!” The book is labeled as #1, so hopefully we’ll have more of this sleuthing duo.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely a cute beginning reader graphic novel. I like the environmental message about not taking shells from the beach (along with other things you can do to help). I think it’s nice/interesting that Shelby never understands sayings because she takes them literally. Gives off an autistic vibe but also will help kids in general who don’t understand those sayings.
Now the downsides- it’s mentioned that Watts loves the encyclopedia and has read the whole thing cover to cover but early in the book, the next encyclopedia is delivers and it’s Bees-crabs. That’s pretty early in the series. So watts has read ONE part of the encyclopedia? I guess that’s still kind of impressive but it is just portrayed weird. Also when we flip to the hermit crab page of the encyclopedia… wouldn’t this be filed under H, not C?
I also find it weird when authors make their main characters anthropomorphic animals but then have other animals in the book that act like animals in real life. It just clashes. Like here we have a fox and badger living in a house, wearing clothes, etc but all the sea animals just live like sea animals. I’m probably overthinking it but this did make me not love the book. It’s still cute and I will still purchase for my library because I think kids will like it.

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful book with a powerful ecology lesson, too. Anstee introduces us to Shelby and Watts, a fox and badger who love learning new facts and solving mysteries. Tasked with the job of figuring out where all the shells have gone so Fred the Hermit Crab can grow into a new shell, they set off to solve the mystery. They meet new animals along the way, take important notes in their notebook and ultimately, solve the lesson with their inferring skills. This graphic novel not only hooks readers in with the bright illustrations, it teaches pretty interesting facts along the way (Did you know Sea Cucumbers breathe through their butt?!) and fosters inferencing skills, too. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

[Laurie]

A cute early reader that is educational (about sea life and caring for the environment) while staying fun and not too heavy handed. I heard about it on Book Friends Forever podcast. Might work well as a gift for age 5 or so and up.

[Jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Penguin Young Readers for the review copy.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable illustrations to accompany this cute story of best friends who work together to solve a mystery. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down.

[Maple Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow adorable Shelby and Watts solve a mystery by the beach. We also get to learn about nature and the environment!

[Michele Knott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early chapter graphic novel mystery. I like that is focused around a science topic.

[Shaunna MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great early reader graphic novel for all the eco-warriors out there. Or students who want to solve mysteries. Or both!

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars because I just love that it’s about ocean creatures 🦀🌊

[Jennifer Rummel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for Oceans of Possibility theme for Summer Reading 2022

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This was a really cute and quality early reader comic. I love that kids get to learn about the ocean and environmentalism in addition to the fun story!

[Miss Sarah]

An early elementary graphic novel about two animal friends who are solving a mystery at the beach.

[Elaine Bearden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok plot. Chapters. Nice layout.

Viking

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet environmental mystery with solid scientific facts sprinkled throughout. At 96pp, this is for a more confident independent reader, but the chapters are well-paced and visual design quite clear.

[Serenity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, but I think many of the words may be difficult for the intended readers to decipher.

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo cute

[Krys · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun new early chapter series that features a detective duo solving ecological mysteries.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

kinda cute

[Abdulaziz Ahmad · Rating 5 out of 5]

لقد قرأت الكتاب باللغة العربية .. إنه كتاب ممتع برسومات ظريفه و لغز مثير و غامض ، بأسلوب مشوق لإكمال القراءة

[Tasia Siegel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute and easy for my 5 year old to read. My 9 year old even enjoyed it. I will be getting more.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

After receiving a letter from Fred the hermit crab, Shelby and Watts head to the sea shore to help solve the mystery of the missing shells. This tale covers the ecosystem and life in tide pools.

[Tim Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb! A genuine mystery with real clues, fun facts and an important message. Six stars.

[Allison Turkish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute book! The characters are friendly and the descriptions of them are fun. The hermit crab mystery is well-told while at the same time the author gives fun facts and teaches about ecology without kids even noticing.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Jo-Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight forward kids graphic novel with some educational stuff.

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful book with a powerful ecology lesson, too. Anstee introduces us to Shelby and Watts, a fox and badger who love learning new facts and solving mysteries. Tasked with the job of figuring out where all the shells have gone so Fred the Hermit Crab can grow into a new shell, they set off to solve the mystery. They meet new animals along the way, take important notes in their notebook and ultimately, solve the lesson with their inferring skills. This graphic novel not only hooks readers in with the bright illustrations, it teaches pretty interesting facts along the way (Did you know Sea Cucumbers breathe through their butt?!) and fosters inferencing skills, too. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.