About this page: Appearing monthly during the summer (also on July 11 and Aug. 8), this page will provide youngsters and their parents with age-appropriate readings suggested by local experts and regional libraries. Also included are activities and fun facts for entertainment and learning.
Suggested titles
Infants and preschoolers
1. "Beach Ball" by Peter Sis
2. "Boo and Baa at Sea" by Olof and Lena Landstrom
3. "The Great White Man-Eating Shark" by Margaret Mahy (will be excerpted in the June 27 Home & Family section)
4. "The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister
5. "Sea Shapes" by Suse MacDonald
6. "Spot Goes to the Beach" by Eric Hill
7. "Stella Star of the Sea" by Marie-Louise Gay
8. "Swim the Silver Sea, Joshie Otter" by Nancy White Carlstrom
9. "The Whales" by Cynthia Rylant
10. "What Can You Find?: On the Beach" by Deni Bown
Ages 4 to 8
1. "Chadwick the Crab" by Priscilla Cummings
2. "The Girl, the Fish & the Crown: A Spanish Folktale" by Marilee Heyer
3. "A House for Hermit Crab" by Eric Carle
4. "Moonsnail Song" by Sheryl McFarlane (will be excerpted in the June 16 Today section)
5. "Mrs. Armitage and the Big Wave" by Quentin Blake (excerpted on Page 6 of today's Home & Family section)
6. "Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag" by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
7. "Riptide" by Frances Ward Weller
8. "Sam: The Tale of a Chesapeake Bay Rockfish" by Kristina Henry (will be excerpted in the June 20 Home & Family section)
9. "Seaside Poems" by Jill Bennett
10. "Wish for a Fish: All About Sea Creatures" by Bonnie Worth
Ages 9 to 12
1. "Abel's Island" by William Steig
2. "Hattie and the Wild Waves" by Barbara Cooney
3. "Mermaid Tales from Around the World" by Mary Pope Osborne
4. "Mysteries and Marvels of Ocean Life" by Rick Morris
5. "The Mystery of the Hidden Beach" by Gertrude Chandler Warner
6. "Scary Sea Stories" by Jonathan Schmidt
7. "Seabird" by Holling Clancy Holling
8. "Sea Snakes" by Sneed B. Collard III
9. "Stories From the Sea" by James Riordan
10. "Where Did All the Water Go?" by Carolyn Stearns (will be excerpted in the June 23 Today section)
Quiz time
Infants and preschoolers
In "Beach Ball," why did Mary first lose her ball?
In "Boo and Baa at Sea," what finally gets the two sheep afloat?
In "The Great White Man-Eating Shark," why does Nevin make the dorsal fin of a shark?
In "The Rainbow Fish," how does the octopus suggest the Rainbow Fish find happiness?
In "Sea Shapes," what sea creature is the shape of a spiral?
In "Spot Goes to the Beach," what does Spot make while Sam naps?
In "Stella Star of the Sea," why is Sam so curious about what he sees at the beach?
In "Swim the Silver Sea, Joshie Otter," why does Joshie Otter visit his Arctic Friends?
In "The Whales," where do the whales make wishes?
In "What Can You Find?: On the Beach," what can you find to play with at the beach?
Ages 4 to 8
In "Chadwick the Crab," where did Chadwick want to live?
In "The Girl, the Fish & the Crown," what does the fish search for in order to be turned back into a girl?
In "A House for Hermit Crab," why did Hermit need to move?
In "Moonsnail Song," what are some of the things April daydreams about at her desk?
In "Mrs. Armitage and the Big Wave," what distracts Mrs. Armitage from the big wave?
In "Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag," where was Oliver's beach bag found and how did he lose it?
In "Riptide," what is Riptide Windjammer named after?
In "Sam: The Tale of a Chesapeake Bay Rockfish," what kind of trouble did Sam get himself into?
In "Seaside Poems," what's spined with sparks, limbed with flames, climbing the dark to cling and shine until the slow tide turns again?
In "Wish for a Fish," which sea creature has a tusk like a unicorn and what zone is it found in?
Ages 9 to 12
In "Abel's Island," how did Abel first get swept away?
In "Hattie and the Wild Waves," what is Hattie's main inspiration?
In "Mermaid Tales From Around the World," the Nigerian tale "The Fish Husband" is about a girl who jumps into the river at Idunmaibo. What happens to her?
In "Mysteries and Marvels of Ocean Life," what fish turns blue and red to match its seabed and always blends into its surroundings?
In "The Mystery of the Hidden Beach," what is stolen from Violet's aquarium?
In "Scary Sea Stories," "The Most Beautiful Day of the Year" features Captain Anderson and Lieutenant Alger. What was the legend the Captain told the lieutenant after their experience with the Tantallus?
In "Seabird," what did the crew tell Ezra when he told them about a "bird that saved the ship?"
In "Sea Snakes," these reptiles can be found in what habitats?
In "Stories From the Sea," what two wishes does Wa ask the precious pearl for in the Vietnamese story "The Precious Pearl"?
In "Where Did All the Water Go?" where do the boy's bay friends suggest the water has gone?
Answers will appear on the July 11 Parent & Child page. Or check them out on The Sun's Web page at www.readingby9.com.
Q. What do you get if you cross an octopus with an electric eel?
A. A shock-topus.
Q. How do you open Loch Ness?
A. With the Florida Keys.
Q. What two words make a shark jump for joy?
A. Man overboard!
Q. What do well-dressed dolphins wear?
A. Sea-quins.
Q. What do sea monsters eat?
A. Submarine sandwiches.
-- All jokes from "Something's Fishy! Jokes About Sea Creatures"
Almost 70 percent of a shark's brain is used for the sense of smell. Sharks can detect one drop of blood in 100,000 gallons of water.
-- From "Exploring the Oceans: Science Activities for Kids"
One of the greatest stone lighthouses was built in Alexandria, Egypt in 280 B.C. The lighthouse, called the Pharos, was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Pharos was as tall as a forty-story building and could be seen from a great distance.
-- From "Lighthouses: Watchers at Sea"
Later this month, the well-known Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the Outer Banks of North Carolina will be moved to a new home at Buxton, N.C., where it will be safe from the encroaching Atlantic Ocean.
Activities
A Sand Blast
Materials:
Construction paper or cardboard sheets
Glue
Have a blast painting with sand. Start by using glue to make a design or picture on a piece of sturdy, dark-colored paper. Then, while the glue is still wet, gently sprinkle a handful of dry sand over your design. Let it sit for a moment, then tip the paper so the extra sand spills off. Now let it dry in the sun. If you find different kinds of sand on the beach, add another kind to your picture. You can make sand snowflakes, sandscapes or draw around your hand to make a sandprint.
-- From "52 Fun Things to Do at the Beach"
Sea Science
Materials:
Tap water
Two cups
We know that ships sink in sea water, but does seaweed? Find out what sinks, floats or swims in the fresh and salt water. Fill one cup with sea water and another with fresh water. Place them next to each other and then drop different things into each cup. What happens when you add pieces of carrot, ice cubes, shells or seaweed? Does anything float in salt water that doesn't float in fresh water? Which one do you think would be easier to swim in?
-- From "52 Fun Things to Do at the Beach"
Making a Beach Log
A log is a scientific diary where you record information and observations. To make your beach log you can either buy a small notebook or attach a colorful cover to notebook paper.
On the cover of your log you will want to include your name, the location or the beach you will be studying, and the date.
On the first page of your log include the beach type, (rocky, sandy, etc.). Note the time of high and low tide and the time of sunrise and sunset. You can check the local newspaper for this information.
Make a sketch of the beach on the next page. Now you are ready to start exploring.
-- From "The Ocean Book" by the Center for Marine Conservation
"Ocean Events" bulletin board
Check the newspapers each day for news about the ocean environment. Cut out the articles and post them on the board.
-- From "The Ocean Book" by the Center for Marine Conservation
-- Frogs live on every continent except Antarctica.
-- From "Fish is Fish"
The world's biggest coral reef lies in warm shallow seas off the northeast coast of Australia. It's called the Great Barrier Reef, and it stretches for more than 1,200 miles. It's so huge that it can be seen by astronauts in space.
-- From "I Wonder Why the Sea is Salty and Other Questions About the Oceans"
Pub Date: 06/13/99