Blue Claws

From Publishers Weekly This evocative mood piece about a day at the water's edge calls to mind Mark Shasha's Night of the Moonjellies. In the spare, unadorned text, the nameless narrator recounts the trepidation he feels staying alone at his Grandfather's house for the first time--"Sometimes Grandpa was hard to be with." But by nightfall, the old man and the boy have been brought wordlessly closer after a day of fishing for crabs from the pier. Although very little happens in the subdued, dreamy narrative, first-time author Krudop's keen eye for detail brings to life the sights, smells and sounds of the bay: the "dead fish with their milky eyes" at the bait shop, the thrill of the first catch, the slanting "bishop's rain" that greets the pair on their return home. Krudop's impressionistic illustrations portray a particular tenderness--an intimacy and affection occasionally missing from the text. In muted blues, greens and sepias that give the artwork a pleasingly antique appearance, the painter renders the life of the bay in sweeping full-page (some full-spread) oils. As if suspended in amber, scenes from the fondly remembered day quietly capture a very special relationship. Ages 6-8. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Blue claws are crabs, and catching them is the object of the outing described by the preschooler who tells this story. "It was the first time I had ever stayed with Grandpa alone," he explains. Grandpa is a crusty, rough fellow who lives alone in a shack on the beach. The man rebukes the child when he doesn't tie his boat line to a piling properly, and it becomes apparent that the two are a little uncomfortable and unfamiliar with one another. They grow easier as their catch grows larger, and the day ends as the two sit on the porch as " . . .the bulrushes sway with the waves." Vivid but spare language captures the rhythm of the fisherman's day, and impressionistic oil paintings reveal it. Beginning and ending with endpapers that frame the day, the illustrations are filtered with hazy light. Thoughtful design intersperses expressive single-page paintings with double-page spreads that place people in the expanse of their environment. Changes in perspective, from closeups of crabs and Grandpa's face to full-length views, add interest. Blue Claws is a rich portrayal of the subtly growing relationship between two people and an elegant visual exploration of life on the beach. This book will be welcomed as a classroom discussion starter or just for plain enjoyment. --Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MACopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.