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Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
The Selfish Shellfish and the Sick Sea by Andrea Harrison, with bright, engaging illustrations by Mariana Hnatenko, is a positive and meaningful underwater adventure that introduces children to the importance of caring for the earth and showing empathy. In it, we meet an Alaskan king crab named Caleb, who at first doesn’t want to help his ocean neighbors, even though the water is becoming too dirty to live in. Lennie the Lobster, his kind-hearted friend, rallies the other ocean animals to find a way to clean up their home. Caleb changes from being selfish to understanding the value of helping others when his fellow sea creatures rescue him from a fishing net, and he decides to start making better choices. A joyful dolphin show at the end reinforces how we all need to do our part to keep the ocean clean.
From an educator’s perspective, this book is terrific for early elementary classrooms. It’s engaging, and the vocabulary, which may include new terms for children, is thoughtfully integrated and supported with a helpful glossary at the end. The moral lessons are easy for children to understand. It's a fantastic way to get students talking about empathy, teamwork, and why it’s important to keep the earth clean. I love books that spark thoughtful conversations, and this one does just that. My favorite part is the dolphins dancing at the end to show how much the ocean means to them. Mariana Hnatenko's vibrant images make it even more captivating. The Selfish Shellfish and the Sick Sea by Andrea Harrison is a fun and meaningful story that helps kids learn how to take care of the planet and be kind to others.
