written by Candace Fleming
illustrated by Amy Hevron

Dive into the rich ecology of tide pools and watch a hidden world spring in this masterful nonfiction picture book for very young readers.

Twice a day when the tide goes out, an astonishing world is revealed in the tide pools that form along the Pacific Coast.
 
Some of the creatures that live here look like stone. Others look like plants. Some move so slowly it’s hard to tell if they’re moving at all, while others are so fast you’re not sure you really saw them. The biggest animals in the pool are smaller than your hand, while the smallest can’t be seen at all without a microscope.
 
During low tide, all these creatures—big, small, fast, slow—are exposed to air and the sun’s drying heat. And so they have developed ways to survive the wait until the ocean’s return.

Awards and Honors

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Read the Reviews

"Using lyrical language that appeals to the senses, Fleming introduces these Pacific Coast intertidal-zone features. . . . Seattle-based illustrator Hevron's artwork, rendered in acrylic paint and pencil, employs a colorful palette to depict this dynamic ecosystem. . . . A perfect introduction to these amazing rock pools, appropriate for primary science lessons and curious beach-goers alike." (Booklist, starred review)