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The Tide Pool Waits
Dive into the rich ecology of tide pools and watch a hidden world spring in this masterful nonfiction picture book for very young readers.
Twice a day when the tide goes out, an astonishing world is revealed in the tide pools that form along the Pacific Coast.
Some of the creatures that live here look like stone. Others look like plants. Some move so slowly it’s hard to tell if they’re moving at all, while others are so fast you’re not sure you really saw them. The biggest animals in the pool are smaller than your hand, while the smallest can’t be seen at all without a microscope.
During low tide, all these creatures – big, small, fast, slow – are exposed to air and the sun’s drying heat. And so they have developed ways to survive the wait until the ocean’s return.
Candace Fleming is the author of Honeybee, which received an Orbis Pictus Honor and 7 starred reviews. She brings her knack for making science and nature appealing to the very young in The Tidepool Waits with detailed accounts of dozens of species of sea life, culminating in a perfect primer for students and nature lovers taking their first trip to the shore. Her text is accompanied by effervescent artwork by Amy Hevron and substantial backmatter.
Twice a day when the tide goes out, an astonishing world is revealed in the tide pools that form along the Pacific Coast.
Some of the creatures that live here look like stone. Others look like plants. Some move so slowly it’s hard to tell if they’re moving at all, while others are so fast you’re not sure you really saw them. The biggest animals in the pool are smaller than your hand, while the smallest can’t be seen at all without a microscope.
During low tide, all these creatures – big, small, fast, slow – are exposed to air and the sun’s drying heat. And so they have developed ways to survive the wait until the ocean’s return.
Candace Fleming is the author of Honeybee, which received an Orbis Pictus Honor and 7 starred reviews. She brings her knack for making science and nature appealing to the very young in The Tidepool Waits with detailed accounts of dozens of species of sea life, culminating in a perfect primer for students and nature lovers taking their first trip to the shore. Her text is accompanied by effervescent artwork by Amy Hevron and substantial backmatter.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2022
About the author
Candace Fleming
79 books679 followersI have always been a storyteller. Even before I could write my name, I could tell a good tale. And I told them all the time. As a preschooler, I told my neighbors all about my three-legged cat named Spot. In kindergarten, I told my classmates about the ghost that lived in my attic. And in first grade I told my teacher, Miss Harbart, all about my family's trip to Paris, France.
I told such a good story that people always thought I was telling the truth. But I wasn't. I didn't have a three-legged cat or a ghost in my attic, and I'd certainly never been to Paris, France. I simply enjoyed telling a good story... and seeing my listener's reaction.
Sure, some people might have said I was a seven-year old fibber. But not my parents. Instead of calling my stories "fibs" they called them "imaginative." They encouraged me to put my stories down on paper. I did. And amazingly, once I began writing, I couldn't stop. I filled notebook after notebook with stories, poems, plays. I still have many of those notebooks. They're precious to me because they are a record of my writing life from elementary school on.
In second grade, I discovered a passion for language. I can still remember the day my teacher, Miss Johnson, held up a horn-shaped basket filled with papier-mache pumpkins and asked the class to repeat the word "cornucopia." I said it again and again, tasted the word on my lips. I tested it on my ears. That afternoon, I skipped all the way home from school chanting, "Cornucopia! Cornucopia!" From then on, I really began listening to words—to the sounds they made, and the way they were used, and how they made me feel. I longed to put them together in ways that were beautiful, and yet told a story.
As I grew, I continued to write stories. But I never really thought of becoming an author. Instead, I went to college where I discovered yet another passion—history. I didn't realize it then, but studying history is really just an extension of my love of stories. After all, some of the best stories are true ones — tales of heroism and villainy made more incredible by the fact they really happened.
After graduation, I got married and had children. I read to them a lot, and that's when I discovered the joy and music of children's books. I simply couldn't get enough of them. With my two sons in tow, I made endless trips to the library. I read stacks of books. I found myself begging, "Just one more, pleeeeease!" while my boys begged for lights-out and sleep. Then it struck me. Why not write children's books? It seemed the perfect way to combine all the things I loved: stories, musical language, history, and reading. I couldn't wait to get started.
But writing children's books is harder than it looks. For three years I wrote story after story. I sent them to publisher after publisher. And I received rejection letter after rejection letter. Still, I didn't give up. I kept trying until finally one of my stories was pulled from the slush pile and turned into a book. My career as a children's author had begun.
I told such a good story that people always thought I was telling the truth. But I wasn't. I didn't have a three-legged cat or a ghost in my attic, and I'd certainly never been to Paris, France. I simply enjoyed telling a good story... and seeing my listener's reaction.
Sure, some people might have said I was a seven-year old fibber. But not my parents. Instead of calling my stories "fibs" they called them "imaginative." They encouraged me to put my stories down on paper. I did. And amazingly, once I began writing, I couldn't stop. I filled notebook after notebook with stories, poems, plays. I still have many of those notebooks. They're precious to me because they are a record of my writing life from elementary school on.
In second grade, I discovered a passion for language. I can still remember the day my teacher, Miss Johnson, held up a horn-shaped basket filled with papier-mache pumpkins and asked the class to repeat the word "cornucopia." I said it again and again, tasted the word on my lips. I tested it on my ears. That afternoon, I skipped all the way home from school chanting, "Cornucopia! Cornucopia!" From then on, I really began listening to words—to the sounds they made, and the way they were used, and how they made me feel. I longed to put them together in ways that were beautiful, and yet told a story.
As I grew, I continued to write stories. But I never really thought of becoming an author. Instead, I went to college where I discovered yet another passion—history. I didn't realize it then, but studying history is really just an extension of my love of stories. After all, some of the best stories are true ones — tales of heroism and villainy made more incredible by the fact they really happened.
After graduation, I got married and had children. I read to them a lot, and that's when I discovered the joy and music of children's books. I simply couldn't get enough of them. With my two sons in tow, I made endless trips to the library. I read stacks of books. I found myself begging, "Just one more, pleeeeease!" while my boys begged for lights-out and sleep. Then it struck me. Why not write children's books? It seemed the perfect way to combine all the things I loved: stories, musical language, history, and reading. I couldn't wait to get started.
But writing children's books is harder than it looks. For three years I wrote story after story. I sent them to publisher after publisher. And I received rejection letter after rejection letter. Still, I didn't give up. I kept trying until finally one of my stories was pulled from the slush pile and turned into a book. My career as a children's author had begun.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
July 7, 2022
As someone who spent hours exploring tide pools on a trip to the Washington and Oregon Coasts, I was immediately drawn to this book. A great picture book to introduce young readers to tide pools and some of the life that lives in the intertidal zone where the land meets the see. Simple yet beautiful illustrations accompany and enhance the written story and descriptions of moments in a tide pool.
August 20, 2022
Delightful, lyrical text with strong back matter to round out the educational value. The illustration style wasn’t totally my cup of tea for this style book but I imagine the bold colors will appeal to the target audience.
July 26, 2022
There are other books of Candace Fleming's that I like better.
This one did not work as well in storytime. It is GREAT to have out, say, if you are taking a trip to the Oregon Coast or somewhere else where there are a lot of tide pools. However, with my wiggle bunch, this book fell on deaf ears
This one did not work as well in storytime. It is GREAT to have out, say, if you are taking a trip to the Oregon Coast or somewhere else where there are a lot of tide pools. However, with my wiggle bunch, this book fell on deaf ears
May 14, 2023
If you study the tides or ocean life with your kids or students, you will enjoy this picture book by Candance Fleming.
April 19, 2022
Lovely illustrations. Though the book is about the Pacific Coast, it reminded me of the tide pools by the ocean that I'd find near my grandma's house in Maine.
July 15, 2022
Detailed information in picture book form about life in tidepools. I wish the words had been matched with an illustrator who painted clear pictures.
Read for Librarian Book Group
Read for Librarian Book Group
July 25, 2022
For preschool-K
A simple narrative showing the pool when the tide is out and the tide is in. More information is at the back. The text is stronger than the illustrations.
A simple narrative showing the pool when the tide is out and the tide is in. More information is at the back. The text is stronger than the illustrations.
May 2, 2023
Fleming and Hevron have created a delightful book celebrating life in a tide pool. The text is vibrant as are the child-friendly illustrations with lots of details to examine. I can imagine a parent and child having a great time sharing this together--counting the gulls, looking for shrimp, enjoying the alliteration as "sea slugs slither across sponge" or, heck, just saying the word, "barnacle" and giggling. I read this book online from my local public library and have already recommended its purchase to a nature-minded friend and her granddaughter. The backmatter provides more information about each of the critters and great websites for interactive activities and videos of real tide pools. A great purchase for elementary classrooms and libraries, too.
Read
May 23, 2022This colorful nonfiction picture book shows animals in a tide pool waiting for the high tide to come in and time to eat, hunt, and move about. This would be a fun read with kids before a trip to the beach or when learning about shore wildlife.
July 9, 2022
Muted, earthy colors as the tide goes out, the creatures huddle and hide and wait, then the tide comes back in and the various creatures hunt and eat and wander and explore until the next time the tide goes out again. The back matter includes deeper information about each creature, and shows the different tide pool zones.
June 27, 2022
What is a tide pool? How is it formed and who lives there?
This book will answer those questions which makes it a perfect book to pack when you are going to the beach! And if you can't make it to the beach, a list of virtual tide pools is included at the back of the book along with all of the animals mentioned in the story. I know there were several I had never heard of before so I was thankful for that list!
The vocabulary is great and the writing lyrical - there is a lot of onomatopoeia and even the occasional rhyme. You can almost feel the tide going in and out as you read along.
You could definitely use this as a read-aloud - perfect for an oceany summer reading theme.
This book will answer those questions which makes it a perfect book to pack when you are going to the beach! And if you can't make it to the beach, a list of virtual tide pools is included at the back of the book along with all of the animals mentioned in the story. I know there were several I had never heard of before so I was thankful for that list!
The vocabulary is great and the writing lyrical - there is a lot of onomatopoeia and even the occasional rhyme. You can almost feel the tide going in and out as you read along.
You could definitely use this as a read-aloud - perfect for an oceany summer reading theme.
July 11, 2022
Evocative language: 5 stars. Really captures the movement, pacing, and microcosmic wonder of a tidepool, and there's careful attention to consonants and rhythm.
The illustrations support the text, but for me, they didn't bring the slosh, sparkle, and magic of the tidepool to life.
The illustrations support the text, but for me, they didn't bring the slosh, sparkle, and magic of the tidepool to life.
August 10, 2022
Learning about a tide pool couldn't be more interesting with the author and illustrator of this book to teach a reader.
The illustrations are phenomenal and the narration compliments the ebb and flow (yes, I said it) of a tide pool and it's animate and inanimate objects.
The illustrations are phenomenal and the narration compliments the ebb and flow (yes, I said it) of a tide pool and it's animate and inanimate objects.
April 23, 2022
What a cute & educational book about tide pools for young kids
October 11, 2022
I'm naturally drawn to tide pools, but it can take a great author to make science and nature captivating to children. The Tide Pool Waits by Candace Fleming is poetic, mesmerizing, and intelligent. Amy Hevron's pictures are smooth, friendly, and comforting. I have tried my best to convince my children that studying tidepools at just the right time is the most interesting thing at the coast. Sometimes they scream and cry because of the overwhelming sounds of the waves or the sticky texture of the anemone. Obviously, they needed a soothing and alluring book like this to help them get comfortable with tidepools first. We aren't bold swimmers, but to explore the sea stars clinging to the rocks, marvel at the snails, mussels and barnacles, and even the sea cucumbers and slugs near the shore? Such a dream. Love this book for bringing it to life in such a lyrical way.
Read as a nomination in the non-fiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
Read as a nomination in the non-fiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
March 3, 2025
The Tide Pool Waits is a book about the creatures and processes of a tide pool. This book has wonderful illustrations and even has a guide in the back that includes a drawing of the create we saw on the pages and a small description of them. Using the guide that comes with this book for a lesson might be too advanced for the grade level I want to teach, however I think that reading this book to a younger grade would still be great. I can imagine myself using this book as an explore/explain for a science lesson on different types of animal or the ocean. I would later then add this book to my classroom library so students can explore the guide and find those creatures in the illustrations themselves.
August 25, 2025
An introduction to the animals typically found in a tide pool, how tide pools form, how the animals act while waiting for the waters to rise again, and how they act after they are back in the ocean.
This isn’t very long, but it is a great introduction to tide pools and the creatures typically found in them. There’s further information on each critter in the back of the book, as well as a diagram of the different zones where animals live on the shoreline. The illustrations have just enough detail readers should be able to connect the illustrated animal with the real thing. This would be a fantastic read before visiting an aquarium with a tide pool exhibit or an actual shoreline with tide pools. Also a great resource for kids studying differing biomes, and curious animal lovers.
This isn’t very long, but it is a great introduction to tide pools and the creatures typically found in them. There’s further information on each critter in the back of the book, as well as a diagram of the different zones where animals live on the shoreline. The illustrations have just enough detail readers should be able to connect the illustrated animal with the real thing. This would be a fantastic read before visiting an aquarium with a tide pool exhibit or an actual shoreline with tide pools. Also a great resource for kids studying differing biomes, and curious animal lovers.
February 10, 2023
I really enjoyed reading this book myself and can see great learning oportunities for young readers as the book takes you through the cycle of the ocean's tide pools and all the creatures that live there.
The illustrations were really colorful and fun to look at while still remaining as close to accurate as possible to the creatures depicted which I respect a lot.
I think this book would be best read at home so your kids can look over your shoulder or get up close to the pictures, as some of them are small, as compared to a storytime setting.
The illustrations were really colorful and fun to look at while still remaining as close to accurate as possible to the creatures depicted which I respect a lot.
I think this book would be best read at home so your kids can look over your shoulder or get up close to the pictures, as some of them are small, as compared to a storytime setting.
September 1, 2025
What are tide pools and where do they come from? What animals live in tide pools? This picture brings to life, the small world that exists in the tide pools once the tide has gone out. With beautiful illustrations to accompany, children can learn a lot and use this book to springboard from for future trips to the beach.
In the back, Fleming provides additional information about the different forms of sea life mentioned in the book, as well as the different zones of where animals live at different tides.
In the back, Fleming provides additional information about the different forms of sea life mentioned in the book, as well as the different zones of where animals live at different tides.
June 12, 2022
Besides the lyrical text about the sea life waiting for the tide to come in, I love the color palate and texture done in acrylic and pencil. This makes me want to take our family to the nearby sea to look in tide pools. It reminds me of the Port Townsend tide pools and Marine Science Center where children can see and touch some of the creatures in the book, but a beautiful way to introduce the subject and help children gain appreciation of the sea at home.
May 2, 2022
I really liked this! I was on the edge of my seat thinking what are they waiting for??? This would be fun for storytime and could easily be clipped. I'm thinking narrative skills, making predictions. This would also be a good vocabulary book with all the sea animals. The illustrations are lovely, clear and not visually overwhelming.
July 13, 2022
Another great read-aloud book great for preschoolers and early school grades. Many sea creatures are mentioned that I haven't heard of -- and the glossary in the back pages describes them a bit more. So, if you also don't know what opaleyes and shannies are -- you can find out they're small fish that live in the tide pool until they are big enough to live in deep water.
November 20, 2022
“… the pool is part of the sea once more. The tide has come. The wait is over.”
Life inside a tide pool is all about waiting until the tide comes in. That’s when the creatures become active, as if the water brings them back to life. They play and hunt until the tide recedes and the creatures go back to waiting.
Life inside a tide pool is all about waiting until the tide comes in. That’s when the creatures become active, as if the water brings them back to life. They play and hunt until the tide recedes and the creatures go back to waiting.
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November 27, 2022Lovely book. Poetical language and soft glowing artwork shows the inhabitants of a tide pool in between the high tides, as some animals come out and others huddle into the wetness. The backmatter goes into more detail for each creature that the text follows. It would be a fun read for any marine or beach interested kid.
August 11, 2023
I read this book as an adult reader for the AR Diamond Book Award. For any ocean-lover, this book will be interesting. With that having been said, I enjoyed the illustrations but the text felt odd as a read aloud to my child. It didn't have that particular flow that feels natural. There are other Fleming books that I like better than this one.
June 1, 2022
I so wanted to like this book more. I have only experienced tide pools one time, but they were one of my favorite things on that trip. This book has interesting information at the back, which is what I liked.
June 11, 2022
This book may prove more enjoyable to those who are familiar with tide pools; for those who are not, there is great back matter that identifies and informs about the creatures mentioned in the book, along with some website links where actual tide pools can be seen. contains some onomatopoeia.
Read
November 8, 2022Fleming's language is beautiful but several of the illustrations seemed to miss the mark. You might read this aloud as a soft introduction to tide pools and then provide students (k-3) with a text set of books to explore.
February 23, 2023
Fleming provides a wonderful introduction to tide pools and the life that inhabits them. More detailed information of the creatures is provided in the backmatter and websites are provided for further exploration.
May 14, 2023
A lovely description of the creatures who inhabit the tide pools at oceanside. Spare text and helpful illustrations show the tide zones. Some actual photographs would have been a fine addition.
Tie-in with study of habits, marine life, summertime.
Tie-in with study of habits, marine life, summertime.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews