"Time to move," said Hermit Crab one day. "I've grown too big for this little shell." Much-loved master of cut-paper collage Eric Carle created A House for Hermit Crab to comfort any little ones okay, and adults, too who dread change--whether the new shell is a new home, a new school, or a new experience. In this soothing, upbeat story, Hermit Crab casts his eyestalks on a newer, bigger shell, but it seems plain and unwelcoming at first. When he meets some beautiful, swaying sea anemones, he asks if one of them will come to adorn the outside of his shell. In time a colorful sea star, some coral, an industrious sea snail, a fortress-protecting sea urchin, and an illuminating lantern fish all join forces with him, making his house a home. Much to his dismay, just when his dwelling and new family fit him to a T, he finds he's physically outgrown his shell yet again. Instead of bemoaning his fate, he eagerly spots a newer, bigger shell--to him a fresh, blank artist's canvas--and relishes the thought of all the undersea home-improvement possibilities: sponges, barnacles, clown fish, and more! Kids will love Carle's rich, affectionate portrayal of Hermit Crab's ocean odyssey, and the gentle story may help them see that giving up the old for the new is not a loss, but an opportunity. Ages 4 to 8 --Karin Snelson
CARLE ERIC
Eric Carle nació el 25 de junio de 1929 en Siracusa, Nueva York, y pasó parte de su infancia en Alemania, donde estudió en la Akademie der Bildenden Künste de Stuttgart. En 1952 regresó a Estados Unidos y trabajó como diseñador gráfico antes de iniciar su carrera como ilustrador y autor de libros infantiles. Su obra más famosa, La oruga glotona, publicada en 1969, ha sido traducida a más de 60 idiomas y vendió millones de ejemplares. Carle desarrolló un estilo artístico único basado en collages de papeles pintados a mano, que se convirtió en su sello distintivo. A lo largo de su vida ilustró más de 70 libros y recibió numerosos premios. Falleció el 23 de mayo de 2021 en Massachusetts a los 91 años.
