Today I’m happy to feature a newly-illustrated version of a classic picture book that truly is a Perfect Picture Book.
Title: Is This a House for Hermit Crab?
Written By: Megan McDonald
Art By: Katherine Tillotson
Publisher/Date: Neal Porter Books/2024 (originally published by Orchard Books in 1990, with illustrations by S.D. Schindler)
Suitable for Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: hermit crabs, home, moving, nonfiction, nature
Opening:
Hermit Crab was growing too big for the house on his back.
Brief Synopsis: A hermit crab outgrows its shell and seeks a larger one.
Links to Resources:
- Read the Back Matter to find out more about hermit crabs and other sea creatures;
- Make your own hermit crab.
Why I Like this Book:
With its endearing main character seeking a new home, its repeated question, “Is this a house for Hermit Crab?”, and its repeated refrain that begs readers to turn the page, “So he stepped along the shore, by the sea, in the sand…scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch”, Is This a House for Hermit Crab? is sure to become a favorite in homes, libraries, and classrooms.
Although McDonald wrote the text over 30 years ago, the story seems fresh and the amount of text seems just right for read-alouds, even to younger kids. Tillotson’s vibrant watercolor, acrylic, finger paint, and collage illustrations made me feel like I was walking on the beach with Hermit Crab and snorkeling above the underwater action. And the facts in the Back Matter will make this a welcome resource as kids seek to learn more about hermit crabs and other ocean creatures.
A Note about Craft:
As a querying picture book author, I follow the advice of those in the know and only include books published within the last three years, max five years, as comparable titles. But as you can see above, McDonald penned the text for Is This a House for Hermit Crab? over 30 years ago. Which goes to show that some picture books that we may remember from our childhoods or from our children’s childhoods stand the test of time and are worth studying as mentor texts. In this case, I think a combination of several factors helps this story seem fresh today: the relatable story – crab has to move; the fact that very few, if any, picture books about hermit crabs have been published in the last several years; and the fairly short text with its distinct refrain – “So he stepped along the shore, by the sea, in the sand…scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch.”
This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!
Wander, Ponder, Write 
Hermit crabs are one of my fave animals. I love the updated illustrations of this story, and I love the original text as well. So true that it doesn’t feel out of the norm for today’s books. And the new illustrastions give it a much more contemporary feel. A fine Holiday House book!
This theme is interesting to me, due to the fact I provided new homes to many hermit crabs when my daughter was young. I definitely will check it out. The illustrations are beautiful.♥️Thank you!