I'm dedicating this book to Mama and Papa for teaching me so much about tidepools, and to the tidepools for inspiring me to write this book. Everything pictured here is local to the Monterey Bay. I hope after you read this book you will be wanting to take a trip to the tidepools. Enjoy!

is for Abalone

What is that sparkling thing in the 

sand? It's an abalone shell! 

Abalones are animals even if they 

look like empty shells. Some, like 

the red abalone, are big but they

are in trouble. Abalone have been

overhunted for their meat and their

shell. If you want an abalone shell,

try to find one washed up on the

beach. Anytime you see an abalone or abalone shell it's a special treat. 

is for Barnacle

There are more than 1,400 types of barnacles in the world. The most common type is the acorn barnacle. You probably won't get to see a barnacle eat when you are tidepooling, but if you do, it is fun to watch. They stick out little feathery looking things that are actually their feet to catch plankton to eat.   

Acorn Barnacles

is for Chiton

What is that? It's a chiton! (Pronounced Kiten.) Chitons are mollusks. They can be small or they can be big. One big type of chiton that is super cool is the gumboot chiton.

Chitons can be out in the open and easy to find or they can be camouflaged. Warning, sometimes rocks covered in algae will trick you into thinking you have found a chiton!

is for Dorid

Dorids are a type of nudibranch. There are many different kinds of dorids. They lay eggs in something that sort of looks like a ribbon. Dorids are very bumpy. They are always fun to see.

is for Egret

Egrets are a type of bird. There are four species of egret in North America, but the ones we see in the tidepools are the great egret and snowy egret. The difference is that the snowy egret has a tiny bit of hair sticking up on its head and they are smaller than a great egret. Keep an eye out for them when you're tidepooling.

    Great Egret

is for Fish

Even though there are 

hundreds of fish in the

ocean, there are hardly 

any in the tidepools. The 

fish that are in the 

tidepools are tiny and 

camouflaged. If you 

look hard you may find a 

fish in the tidepools but probably not on your first trip. It's kind of like looking for an octopus, (see page 16) you just have to keep looking and looking and maybe one day you will find one. 

is for Gooseneck barnacles

Goose neck barnacles are also called leaf barnacles. They have been spotted on a chunk of a space ship that washed up on the Isles of Sicily! Now isn't that cool? They, like other barnacles, feed on plankton with their special feet. They can live 20 years or more! 

is for Heron

There are many types of herons but the type that we see in our local tidepools is the great blue heron. The great blue heron has a long yellow beak to catch fish. If you watch it long enough you could see it catch a fish. It may be a long wait though, they are very patient. 

Great Blue Heron

is for Ink

When an octopus gets really scared it squirts ink. If you see an octopus squirt ink then you should leave it alone because that means it is really stressed out. If you see ink, an octopus could be around.

 Remember you're in it's territory so don't touch it!

is for Jeweled top snail

Is that a jewel or a snail? It's 

both! Okay, it's not really a 

jewel but it is a jeweled 

top snail. They have a 

beautiful shell that

looks like a jewel.

They are one of 

two types of top 

snails. Jeweled top snails 

graze on algae with their tongue called a radula. \

is for Kelp

There are many types of kelp depending on where you live. Living in California, we most often see bull kelp and giant kelp when we go tidepooling. Sometimes you can find a holdfast. A holdfast helps keep kelp on the sea floor but sometimes they'll wash up on the beach. Watch your step, kelp can be slippery!

is for Limpets

This may look like an empty shell but it is really a limpet! Limpets are actually animals. They graze on algae with their tounge called a radula, like the jeweled top snail.

Limpets scrape down rock to create a home scar where their shell can sit nice and snug.  Do NOT pull limpets off rocks. 

is for Mystery

Sometimes when you go to the tidepools you see something that you don't know what it is. It is a mystery. The internet can help you but books are also pretty helpful too. You can also ask an expert to help you. Take a picture of the mystery thing so you can match it with other pictures. If you do all of that, you can solve your mystery. 

Case closed!

Why is there a worm at the tidepools?

is for Nudibranch

Nudibranchs are small and hard to find. Sometimes there will be many of them in the same tidepool. They are all super cool looking and always an amazing find. If you have time, it's always fun to watch them move. Many nudibranchs look alike so it is kind of hard to identify them but books and the internet can help you with identification. 

Phidiana hiltoni

is for Octopus

Finding an octopus is pretty hard but once you find one it's totally worth it. If you do find one make sure not to touch it and DON'T try to make it ink.

Octopuses are very smart. They can use their suction cups to stick to just about anything. They can hide themselves inside coconut shells that are split in half and can unscrew jar lids!

is for Periwinkle

Periwinkles are a type of snail.

 A strong muscular foot 

helps them move and hold 

onto rocks. If you want

 to see one you might have to 

look hard because they only 

grow to be about one inch long. Unlike most marine animals They can survive in fresh water. 

Not many marine animals can 

do that!