Book Activities

A House for Hermit Crab

Read

Preview the book with your child. Explain that it is a story about a hermit crab who grows too big for his shell, and embarks on a journey to find a beautiful new home.

Do

Build a fort or play house. Use couch
cushions, empty cardboard boxes, or blankets. Place things inside your home that will make it a nice place to stay.

Take a nature walk, look for places animals might live. Look under rocks, logs, and leaves. Can you spot any animals? Look up in the trees can you spot any nests or holes in the trees where an animal might live?

Go to the beach and collect sea shells. Find out what kind of animal lived in the shell.

Use pasta shells, paper, pipe cleaners, and glue to make your own hermit crab.

Learn what types of plants attract butterflies and create a butterfly garden.

View

Big Big World

Imogene's Antlers by David Small (Show 33)
Imogene wakes up one morning shocked to find a pair of antlers growing out of her head, and embarks on a comical adventure discovering practical uses for this new condition. LeVar takes a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo to explore why animal looks and shapes are important to how they live. He also discovers the difference between horns and antlers. A bird specialist introduces viewers to unique birds; then string band members, who dress in feathers for the Philadelphia Mummers Parade, show off their costumes and routine.

Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story by Richard Hall and Wendy Tokuda (Show 56)
Based on the journey of a California humpback whale, this book follows the journey of "wrong-way" Humphrey as he finds his way back to the sea with the help of some friends. A whale-watching day at sea with a naturalist helps LeVar understand the whales' natural environment, and practices that have threatened whales. Viewers also find out about three young pilot whales who were rescued, nursed back to health and re-released, and they see news clips of "wrong way" Humphrey's misadventure.

Dive to the Coral Reefs by Paul Erickson, Les Kaufman and Elizabeth Tayntor (Show 61)
This feature book describes the formation of coral reefs and the many plants and animals that live in and around these underwater communities. LeVar is inspired by the book to learn more about the world of coral reefs, so he dons diving gear and gives viewers a tour of the National Marine Sanctuary, an underwater park in Florida. Viewers also meet a 'reef doctor' who shows how he restores life to damaged reefs by transplanting living coral.

Jack, the Seal, and the Sea by Gerald Aschenbrenner (Show 67)
Jack spends his days sailing the sea and taking in nets full of half-dead fish, ignoring the polluted condition of the water. He finds an ailing seal and receives a message from the sea itself about its sorry state. The feature book inspires LeVar to learn more about the preservation of our water and oceans. He joins ecologists on a Discovery Voyage in the San Francisco Bay where he finds out about a variety of marine life and the health of the bay. Viewers will also get a first-hand look at the clean up effort after a disastrous oil spill in Alaska.

Sam the Sea Cow by Francine Jacobs (Show 83)
This is a true story about Sam the manatee who was rescued and nursed back to health after he got stuck in a sewer drain. LeVar travels to Sea World in Florida for a closer look at manatees. He explores their natural habitat and assists Sea World staff as they nurse and return one to the wild. Then he tours a wetland wildlife refuge on an airboat and finds out why wetlands are important to manatees and other animals.

Is This a House for Hermit Crab? by Megan McDonald (Show 98)
When Hermit Crab outgrows his old house, he ventures out to find a new one. Finding it becomes particularly humorous when that home is carried on the crab's back! LeVar builds a house for the flying friends in his backyard while viewers watch the "Lifestyles of the Wild and Tameless" to see where a variety of animals live. Then viewers visit scientists who work in the city to protect and provide roosts for peregrine falcons.

Seashore Surprises by Rose Wyler (Show 88)
This helpful book explains how waves, sand and pebbles form at the seashore and describes animals, plants and shells which can be seen when the tide goes out. LeVar uses this feature book when he goes beach- combing in southwestern Florida. There he meets two local naturalists who help him explore plant and animal life (shells, mangroves, oysters, spiny burn fish, scallops, sea stars, etc.) at the shoreline and in the shallows of the gulf.

Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting (Show 118)
The feature book is a touching story of a homeless boy and his father who move from terminal to terminal in an airport, trying not to be noticed and discovered. The boy expresses frustration about being homeless, yet he has hope for the future. Children whose families have been homeless share how this happened and how it felt. LeVar encourages us to make a difference in our communities. Viewers meet a boy who volunteers at City Harvest, an organization which gathers prepared food for distribution to the homeless, and the girl who began Common Sense, an organization whose members collect pennies and use them to buy items for homeless shelters.

Websites

Other Book Titles

Clumsy Crab by Ruth Galloway (2005)
Nipper the Crab hates his too large claws, they are always getting in the way.

Hector the Hermit Crab by Katie Boyce (2003)
Poor shy Hector the hermit crab has flowers growing on his shell.

I'm Not Moving, Mama
by Nancy White Carlstrom (1999)
Little Mouse doesn't want to pack up his room on moving day.

Big Ernie's New Home: A Story for Children Who Are Moving by Teresa Martin and Whitney Martin
Big Ernie finds out that moving isn't so bad after all.

A New House for Mouse
by Petr Horacek (2004)
Little Mouse has found a nice, juicy red apple, but it is too big to fit into her home so she sets off to find a new home where it will fit.

A New House For Smudge
by Miriam Moss (2002)
There are holes in her roof and her house is too small, so Smudge decides its time to find a new home.