Just a Shell... or Is It?
Just a Shell... or Is It?

Just a Shell... or Is It?

Written by Becca McMurdie & illustrated by Paola Escobar
Hardcover
$17.99
$16.97
3 - 5
Reading age
32
Page count
May 26, 2026
Publication date

Buy from other retailers

AmazonBookshop

What's This Book About

Publisher Summary

Author Becca McMurdie and Pura Belpré Honor Award-winning illustrator Paola Escobar explore the natural world with appreciation and empathy in this wildly imaginative, summer-themed picture book A seashell is just a seashell . . . or is it? To a clam, it’s a door. To an octopus, it’s a shield. To a young child, it’s a treasure! A place to play or a home for critters, the beach can be so many things! And there are so many other exciting things to find hidden in sand dunes and between waves–all it takes is a little shift in perspective. Perfect for boardwalk strolls, lazy days on beach towels, or in a classroom or a playroom, Just a Shell . . . or Is It? promotes creative thinking and empathy for the world around us–and all of its inhabitants–teaching young readers that nothing in nature is “just” what it is, but so much more.

Reviews

    The Creatives Behind the Book

    What Has Becca McMurdie Said About This Book

    Nothing yet! Let Becca McMurdie know that you want to hear from them about their book.

    What Has Paola Escobar Said About This Book

    Nothing yet! Let Paola Escobar know that you want to hear from them about their book.

    More Books From These Creatives

      picture • 40 Pages
      Digging for Words
      Angela Burke Kunkel, Paola Escobar
      chapter • 283 Pages
      The Bookwanderers
      #1 in Series
      Anna James, Paola Escobar
      picture • 32 Pages
      Planting Stories
      5.1
      Anika Aldamuy Denise, Paola Escobar
      picture • 32 Pages
      Not So Small
      Pat Zietlow Miller, Paola Escobar
      picture • 40 Pages
      Tell the Truth, Pangolin
      Melinda Beatty, Paola Escobar
      picture • 32 Pages
      The Perfect Place
      Paola Escobar
      picture • 48 Pages
      Selena
      Silvia Lopez, Paola Escobar
      View more

    Similar Books to This Book

      picture • 36 Pages
      The Nativity
      6.5
      Julie Vivas
      picture • 32 Pages
      Koalas Eat Gum Leaves
      6.5
      Laura Bunting
      picture • 30 Pages
      Pelle's New Suit
      6.3
      Elsa Beskow
      picture • 32 Pages
      Every Color of Light
      6.3
      Hiroshi Osada, Ryoji Arai, David Boyd
      picture • 32 Pages
      Refuge
      6.3
      Anne Booth, Sam Usher
      board • 28 Pages
      A to Z Menagerie
      6.2
      Suzy Ultman
      picture • 32 Pages
      The Rag Coat
      6.1
      Lauren A. Mills
      picture • 32 Pages
      A Bedtime Yarn
      6.0
      Nicola Winstanley, Olivia Chin Mueller
      picture • 32 Pages
      The Sandcastle That Lola Built
      6.0
      Megan Maynor, Kate Berube
      picture • 32 Pages
      The King Who Banned the Dark
      6.0
      Emily Haworth-Booth

    Book Details

    ISBN
    9781419780646
    Publication Date
    May 26, 2026
    Publisher
    Abrams Appleseed
    Page Count
    32
    Audience
    Picture
    Reading Age
    3 - 5 years
    Lib. of Congress (LCCN)
    2025029554

    Contribute to this page

    Core Score - 40%

    Still needs the basics.

    Depth Score - 0%

    Just the barebones.

    Improve this page

    Are you the author or illustrator? Claim your book.

    Top Contributors
    01
    @iheartbooks
    10

    Bookroo

    Book Clubs

    Follow Bookroo