CLUMSY CRAB
by Ruth Galloway & illustrated by Ruth Galloway
A seaworthy twist on loving yourself for the gifts you have. Nipper the Crab wishes he didn’t have huge clumsy claws that are always in the way and cause him to break things. His friends, Octopus, Jellyfish and Turtle, are understanding, encouraging him to play other games with them, but with similar results—Nipper’s claws cause him to be clumsy. Until one day during a game of hide-and-seek, Octopus gets caught in some seaweed, and Nipper finally realizes their value. Onomatopoeia helps make light of Nipper’s mishaps, but is not enough to save the tale from mediocrity and predictability. The illustrations just may, however; they are brightly colored, cheerful cartoons that will delight young readers. Cute, but not the best of the genre. (Picture book. 3-7)