The Seaside Naturalist

We had our last summertime hurrah at the beach this weekend.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect.  At the beginning of the summer we added these books to our 'nature kit' (our bag with notebooks, specimen jars, magnifying glass, binoculars, etc...).  They've been helpful in identifying the creatures and shells that we find on the beach and are nice to read when we're relaxing under the umbrella.

The Seaside Naturalist: A Guide to Study at the Seashore

Deborah A. Coulombe 1990

This book is designed specifically for teaching kids about the ecosystem in the ocean and along the shore. Each chapter has a True/False quiz at the end that we like to read out loud. This weekend we learned about Protoplankton and Nekton!

A Field Guide to the Atlantic Seashore

Kenneth L. Gosner 1999

Our old shell identification book included shells around the world and wasn't very helpful in identifying things that were specific to the New Jersey coastline. This Peterson Field Guide has been awesome. There are pages of colorful pictures and specific, scientific information. We've identified types of crabs, mini shrimp, and knotted wrack (a seaweed) that we've found along the beach and in the water.