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Book Cover for: What a Shell Can Tell, Helen Scales

What a Shell Can Tell

Helen Scales

'This wondrous compendium will enthrall beachcombers and landlubbers alike.' - The New York Times

'For the beach-bound family... they may even end up knowing what they're finding when they're combing the sand.' - The Wall Street Journal

A stunning, lavishly illustrated, and information-packed introduction to the wonder of shells through the art of observation - the perfect book for young explorers, collectors, and nature lovers everywhere

Award-winning marine biologist Helen Scales introduces children to the wonders of shells (from seashells to land snails) through the art of observation. Using a friendly question-and-answer format, she explores, through a richly sensory experience, the incredible diversity of shells around the world and showcases the environments molluscs inhabit. From what a shell's shape, color, or texture can reveal about its inhabitant, to where shells are found (from the deepest seas to jungly treetops), with this book, readers can get up close with nature to observe its wonders.

Ages 6-9

Book Details

  • Publisher: Phaidon Press
  • Publish Date: Jun 15th, 2022
  • Pages: 48
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 12.52in - 10.08in - 0.47in - 1.45lb
  • EAN: 9781838664312
  • Recommended age: 06-09
  • Categories: • Animals - Marine Life• Science & Nature - Zoology• Science & Nature - Environmental Science & Ecosystems

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About the Author

Dr Helen Scales is a marine biologist, writer, and documentary maker focusing on connections between people, science, and the living world. She is the author of the Guardian bestseller Spirals in Time, and writes for National Geographic Magazine, the Guardian, and New Scientist, among others. She teaches at Cambridge University and is science advisor for the marine conservation charity Sea Changers.

Sonia Pulido is an artist living in a seaside village close to Barcelona. Her illustrations have appeared in publications globally, including The New Yorker and The New York Times.

More books by Helen Scales

Book Cover for: What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World's Ocean, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Shells... and What They Hide Inside: A Lift-The-Flap Adventure, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Around the Ocean in 80 Fish and Other Sea Life, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: The Brilliant Abyss: Exploring the Majestic Hidden Life of the Deep Ocean, and the Looming Threat That Imperils It, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: The Great Barrier Reef, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Spirals in Time: The Secret Life and Curious Afterlife of Seashells, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Return of the Wild Coloring Book: A Coloring Book to Celebrate and Explore the Natural World, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Scientists in the Wild: Antarctica, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Scientists in the Wild: Galápagos, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: The Shell Spotter's Guide, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Octopuses: A Ladybird Expert Book, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Eye of the Shoal: A Fishwatcher's Guide to Life, the Ocean and Everything, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Poseidon's Steed: The Story of Seahorses, From Myth to Reality, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: 11 Explorations Into Life on Earth: Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution, Helen Scales
Book Cover for: Ocean Art: From the Shore to the Deep, Helen Scales

Praise for this book

'Written by a marine biologist and illustrated by an artist in coastal Spain, this wondrous compendium will enthrall beachcombers and landlubbers alike.' - The New York Times
'For the beach-bound family... they may even end up knowing what they're finding when they're combing the sand.' - The Wall Street Journal


'Young shell-hunters of 6+ will adore this jewel-bright, fascinating work of nonfiction by a marine biologist and a seaside-dwelling artist.' - Guardian

'Introduces the wonder of seashells.' - Publishers Weekly

'Brimming with fascinating facts ... students and adults will be amazed by all that we can glean by looking closely at shells.' - Youth Services Book Review

'Children and adults alike will be riveted by the sci-fi like, real-life animals that litter every beach.' - Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus

'The gorgeous illustrations will keep you going back. They feature vibrant colors, interesting shapes, and water that ripples off the page. What a Shell Can Tell is great to accompany on a trip to the beach, or to conjure up cool waves in your own home.' - Growing with Science

'Inspires shell collectors and budding marine biologists alike to take better care of our oceans...environments and the shells living in them.' - Red Hook Star-Revue

'Brilliant!' - Dad Suggests

'A fabulous book.' - Tiny Activists

'An excellent example of how learning happens everywhere.' - Shelves of Color