Sally and the Limpet

From Publishers Weekly Sally, a round-faced girl with a mop of blond hair, is exploring on the beach when she discovers a limpet (a barnacle-like gastropod) adhered to a rock. Sally prys the limpet loose, but it becomes stuck to the top of her finger. No one has any luck dislodging the small creature--not even the doctor, who tries chemicals, injections, potions and pinchers. Finally, the youngster runs back to the beach and jumps--fully clothed--into the water, where the limpet, "feeling at home once more, made a little squelching noise and wiggled off her finger." And, since her nature teacher had said that limpets spend their entire lives on the same rock, Sally sets it back where she found it. James's affable book offers much to young readers: an engaging, chatty text; breezy, amusing pictures; and a valuable, subtly conveyed message about the importance of respecting the natural world around them. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 1-- A simple environmental tale. Sally is playing at the beach when she finds a brightly colored shell. As she pries it off a rock, the limpet suctions itself to her finger and won't let go. Sally's father, brother, teacher, classmates, and even the doctor try to remove it, but none are successful. Finally, in a fit of frustration, Sally runs back to the beach and jumps into the water. Back in familiar surroundings, the shell detaches itself from Sally's finger. She remembers learning that limpets spend their lives in one spot, so she carefully returns it to its original place. The subtle live-and-let-live lesson is strengthened by James's whimsical pen-and-ink drawings with watercolor washes. Reminiscent of Quentin Blake's work, they add charm and humor and bring the story to life. The length of text, format, and vocabulary are accessible to beginning readers and make a suitable classroom read-aloud. --Laura Culberg, Chicago Public Library Cultural CenterCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.