A House for a Hermit Crab

by Eric Carle

Other authorsEric Carle (Illustrator)
Hardcover, 1987

Status

Available

Local notes

E Car

Barcode

5900

Publication

Picture Book Studio (1991), 32 pages

Description

A hermit crab who has outgrown his old shell moves into a new one, which he decorates and enhances with the various sea creatures he meets in his travels.

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1987

Physical description

32 p.; 8.37 inches

User reviews

LibraryThing member JulianneM
This is a story about a hermit crab and all of the changes he experiences in a years time. He has to change his shell twice because he keeps out growing it and meets many friends along the way before he has to step out on his own. This is a great book to use with children who are dealing with huge
Show More
changes in their lives but you have a support system. Great book to use in a hospital setting!
Show Less
LibraryThing member MarthaSohl
Hermit crab outgrew his old shell and moved into a larger one which he thought was comfortable but too plain. He found a beautiful sea anemoe, starfish and coral that agreed to live on his shell to decorate it. Then he found a snail to keep it clean, a sea urchin to protect it, a latern fish to
Show More
light it, and smooth pebbles to build a wall around his home. He grew too large for his now beautiful home so he let a smaller hermit crab move into his home because she promised to take care of his friends. Hermit crab found a larger shell and began his decorating all over.

This is a touching story about helping others and developing caring friendships. Hermit crab also reminds me of my type A personality with his obsession to fix his home just right.

This story cound be used as a science lesson in discussing ocean life. It is also a wonderful example of cooperation.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kmcgiverin05
This is a informational and a fantasy book about a hermit crab who needs a new shell and friends. I think it is a great example of informational because so much of it is about the different sea animals, there is so much to learn about the book. I would use this in the classroom to learn about sea
Show More
animals, and to learn about how we feel when we grow out of our favorite things. The main character the Hermit Crab is round he is constantly growing (figuratively, and literally).
Show Less
LibraryThing member Amber_88
This is an excellent example of fantasy because sea creatures are talking and interacting. At one point, the hermit crab asks the coral to decorate his shell. It is believable, though, because hermit crabs really do outgrow their shells, and all of the listed creatures really do live in the sea and
Show More
serve the described purposes.
The setting is in the sea and can take place at any time. The story is too short to otherwise critique the setting, plot, or characters.
Show Less
LibraryThing member meastwold
This is a wonderful story of a hermit crab who wants to have a beautiful home. It has a great plot line that progresses to reveal a rounded character who finds out more about caring for other and friendship he can build.
LibraryThing member conuly
This is one of Carle's books that is better suited for older children.

We run through the months of the year, and each month the hermit crab makes a new discovery about his shell - he needs a light, or some pebbles, that sort of thing - until he's outgrown it entirely.

It's very nicely paced, it just
Show More
doesn't grab our attention that much.
Show Less
LibraryThing member anneofia
This is Eric Carle at his best! He says Hermit is one of his favorite heros, and he wrote it to show young readers that new experiences are not to be dreaded but are really wonderful opportunities. The story is intriguing and the detailed art work is bright and fun to look at, even for adults who
Show More
have to read the story over and over.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jrjohnson1
I love Eric Carle. His illustration and stories are great. This story is about a Hermit crap discovering something new about his shell each month.
LibraryThing member Heather19
This is a very, very cute story about a hermit crab who tries all sorts of creative ways to find a new house.
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Perfect for a child who is moving (or dealing with any kind of big change). Hermit crab goes about making change a positive thing. Wonderful illustrations.
LibraryThing member michelleramos
This is a delightful book about a Hermit Crab that has grown too big for his shell. He sets out to find a new, bigger home and also makes lots of friends along the way. His new shell is rather plain and he is looking for ways to decorate. He gets help from an anenome, a starfish, a lantern fish,
Show More
some coral and many other wonderful sea creatures.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bekstrom
This book is an example of fantasy. Even though the story is unrealistic, the story is very believeable. The story includes animals with personified characteristics. It tells the truths of a hermit crabs life trying to find a new home in a fun way that helps students understand the life of marine
Show More
animals. I would use this book in an intermediate classroom. The type of media used is collage.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Jrstoner
In this book a crab outgrows his shell and has to move out. He finds a bigger shell and begins decorating it with sea creatures that become his friends. When he outgrows that shell he has to move on but doesn't want to because he has become friends with his decorations. So he gives his shell to a
Show More
smaller hermit crab and moves out into the ocean since he is big.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Mluke04
This book is informational because it introduces several different sea creatures and provides information about them at the end of the book. The illustrations in this book are very good because they add to the story and help with character identification. The illustrations directly relate to the
Show More
story and the reader knows what is happening just by looking at the illustrations.
Media: Collage
Show Less
LibraryThing member jaia
This book follows the life of a hermit crab over a year of his adventures in the sea. He loves his house, and decorates it with many sea-creature friends! Eric Carle's illustrations are charming and expressive. When hermit crab grows out of his shell, he needs to find a new home, and he gives it to
Show More
another hermit crab as long as she takes care of his special friends. This story is good to share with children with moving anxiety as well.
Show Less
LibraryThing member setonhansen
This book is about a hermit crab who grows out of his shell. He finds a new one but decides it is too boring. As he walks along the bottom of the ocean he meets many friends (a starfish, snail, sea urchin, etc) to help him decorate his house. eventually he grows too big for this shell and he gives
Show More
it to a smaller crab. I liked this book for late first grade to second grade readers. It has more difficult words. It would be a great book to begin a marine life lesson.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jlowens4
"A House for Hermit Crab", is a very good book. It is for third, fourth, and fifth grade. The book is about a Hermit Crab who is looking for a bigger house and friends to help it make it beautiful. This book teaches students ways to communicate with people. The book is also very educational. It
Show More
talks about many different sea creatures, and describes what they are in the ocean for. The book has many colorful pictures also. I think that children would really enjoy this book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Katie20
Eric Carle is a great author. He is known for his picture books. This is a great picture book because it is so colorful, and children really like color. This book is about a hermit crab. He has outgrown his shell and has moved into a new one. He decorates his shell with sea creatures he meets like
Show More
a star fish, snails etc. Then he gets too large for that shell, and he meets someone who would like to move in and the other crab moves. The hermit crab then moves into a new home.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jalann
This is a wonderful book to read to younger children. It has wonderful pictures and lots of different sea animals. In this book the hermit crab needs a new shell so he finds a bigger one. THe bigger one is not very pretty so he finds different animals to decorate his shell. eventually he out grows
Show More
his new shell and must find a new one. He hesitates because he has met so many wonderful new friends, but he meets a smaller hermit crab that is looking for a new shell he gives is pretty shell to the smaller crab and finds a new larger shell.
Show Less
LibraryThing member clstone
'A House for Hermit Crab' is a very colorful book by Eric Carle. It is about a hermit crab that grows out of his shell and is forced to find a new home. As the hermit crab searches for a new shell he is introduced to the ocean floor and many other new, scary experiences. He finds friends and
Show More
decorates his new home until he gets too big for this new home and has to find another one. By the end of the story the hermit crab passes his shell on to a smaller crab and promises to be his friend forever. This story has beautiful pictures and has a section in the back that defines all kinds of sea animals. I would read this book to students in grades 1-4.
Show Less
LibraryThing member KimSiljeg
This is a really fun book to teach about adapting to change. Hermit the Crab outgrows his house and must find a new place to live. On his journey to find a new house he meets and makes new friends with the Sea anemone, Starfish Coral, Sea Urchin, Snail, Lattern fish and smooth pebbles who become
Show More
like family. Time passes and Hermit crab outgrows his home and it is time to move again but he doesn't want to leave his friends. A smaller hermit crab meets our other crab explaining that he too is looking for a house. The smaller crab is offered the home with the condition that he be good to the other crab's friends. Hermit the Crab leaves his home embarking on a new journey looking for a place to live but he's not scared...he excited by all the possibilities.

Great book to read to children on a lesson about change. Eric Carle does a really nice job demonstrating that although change can be kind of intimidating and scary at times, it is also good.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kmacneill
This is a great educational picture book on marine life. A hermit crab outgrows his old shell and finds a new one, adding different sea creatures to his shell every month, to make it feel like home. The books is a great way to learn about change and making new friends. It also has a list of the sea
Show More
animals in the back telling a little bit about each of them and their functions. It would be good to start a marine life lesson with this book. Good for grades 1-4.
Show Less
LibraryThing member klpopwell
Good book that demonstrates how this certain animal grows and changes. Also has great ocean vocabulary and brilliant illustrations.
LibraryThing member DBake
We read this book in French and we love it!
LibraryThing member mlcrofford
A House for Hermit Crab is a story of a young hermit trying to find a suitable home. He must search the sea floor over and over to find a house large enough for him. This would be a great book for children who are moving. This book shows marine life and uses marine vocabulary. The illustrations are
Show More
creative and fun. I love Eric Carle books.
Show Less

Pages

32

Rating

(240 ratings; 4.1)
Page: 0.7306 seconds