Fiddler Crabs

Children's Literature

This entry in the "Wild Wild World" series contains an animal overview, interesting facts subcategorized by headings of double-page spreads (e.g., "Claws," "Burrows," or "Who Eats Crabs?"), and many photographs arranged artistically or sequentially to illustrate a concept. While the photographs lack captions, they surround and face the short paragraphs of text that appear on each page. For instance, on a page discussing who eats crabs, five pictures surround the text, but lazy photo research doesn't show any of the five predators actively eating. While a child does not to have to read much text or go far to discover what the photographs portray, by not using captions the series misses the chance to educate children as to how to "read" the photos more deeply or to confirm what they think is being pictured. Unlike most other books in the series, this one tries for more child appeal with pointless cartoony children cavorting across the photos or mirroring the behavior of crabs (e.g., fighting, donning armor, and so forth). A scant three-word glossary, only two general suggestions for further crab research, and no index make this an additional purchase for most libraries. But it is one families could read as an introduction to crabs since the good pictures might lead to research in better texts. 2003, Blackbirch Press/Gale Group, Ages 7 to 11.
—Susan Hepler, Ph.D.