Children's book. Boy (around 10 yr.) explores tide pools by himself during summer vacation, writes down all the creatures he sees. He decides to become a marine biologist or similar. Read in 1970s.

[Wendy]

I'm trying to find a book for my husband that he loved as a kid. He does not remember the name of the book or the author. All he can remember is that the story is about a boy (maybe around 10 years old) who explores tide pools on his summer vacation. He writes down all of the creatures he finds/sees and this leads him to deciding he wants to be a marine biologist (or something along those lines). Does this book sounds familiar to anyone? If so, please tell me the title/author. Thanks!

[Tab]

How many years ago did he read this book?
Was it a chapter book?

[Wendy]

It was a chapter book. He read it when he was probably 5th grade, so it would have had to have been pre-1980s.

[Serena]

It may be wrong but for some reason published in 1965 is just sticking to mind....

[Wendy]

I don't think that is it Rena, but thank you for trying. The boy in the book is about 10-12 years old. Thanks!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Wendy, is your husband still looking for this book or did he find it?

[Wendy]

We found a book he thought could be it, though it was still different than he remembered.

[Wendy]

He read it so long ago, it is hard to remember all of the details.

[Kris]

A shot in the dark - There is a Tide by Elspeth Bragdon?

Did the boy have family or friends? Was he a loner or outcast?

[Wendy]

Thanks. I will show this to my husband. :-)

[Wendy]

Well darn. It wasn't the right one either. We're still on the look-out. Thanks anyway.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Still looking?

[Wendy]

Yes, I am! :-) Any ideas?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

No, but someone will know this. Just bump your thread every so often, e.g. every 30-90 days.

[Kris]

A guess - Sea Glass by Laurence Yep?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Still looking now?

[Wendy]

Yes, I'm still hoping that someone will know what I'm talking about. This is not a modern book. He read it as a kid in the 70s and he said it felt old to him back then (so it must've been something pre 1970s). Thanks for asking.

Also, he doesn't remember the kid having friends. He explored the tide pools on his own.

[Kris]

Is this a children's picture book (about 32-48 pages) or chapter book?

Does it show the boy years later as an adult marine biologist or similar?

I added some details to the header/ topic title. Feel free to edit it.

[Kris]

One picture book that turned up while searching - Come Again, Pelican by Don Freeman?

Search using WorldCat.org:
https://www.worldcat.org/advancedsear...
Keyword: tide summer | 1950-1975 | Juvenile | Fiction | Book | English
(Note: Sometimes the site glitches and defaults to a non-English language.)

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

How about now?

[Wendy]

Still looking!

[Wendy]

Kris - that was a great guess, but not the one he’s thinking of.