The Living Shoreline - by Valerie J Frey (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Oysters are humble animals yet very important. Vital to the health of our coast, this keystone species helps filter coastal waters and protects shorelines from undue erosion. In addition, oysters are a source for both food and physical shelter for a wide array of other animals as well as some plants.

This book began with a federal grant to create a living shoreline, a manmade slope carefully engineered to provide optimal living conditions for oysters and that will function as a seamless part of the natural environment. Such living shorelines allow oysters to thrive while they also help protect the land from some of the problems that are increasing because of climate change.

Why add a children's book to an ecological building project? Learning about oysters and their role in the environment will help our young people grow into adults who are good stewards of our planet. Understanding life cycles and the interconnections between species, no matter how small, are crucial to that outcome, and oysters are a fascinating and compelling way to explore those concepts.

INCLUDES:

Full-page color illustrations throughout
Inset illustrations highlighting associated species, life-cycle stages, ecological insights, and human uses of oysters
Amazing oyster facts
Ways to help support oysters
Further reading

About the Author

Valerie J. Frey (Author)
VALERIE J. FREY is a writer and archivist from Athens, Georgia, with projects focusing on genealogy, social history, and foodways. Her archives career began with a Junior Fellowship in the Manuscripts Division at the Library of Congress, and she went on to serve as manuscripts archivist at the Georgia Historical Society. She later became the education coordinator of the Georgia Archives, where she developed public service programs as well as created resources for educators and their students. She now writes and conducts research full time. Her previous foodways book, Preserving Family Recipes: How to Save and Celebrate Your Food Traditions, was published by the University of Georgia Press in 2015.

Alan Reid (Illustrator)
ALAN REID is an instructional designer specializing in science education. With a personal closeness to the natural world and lifelong interest in animals and ecology, Alan uses his skills as an illustrator and graphic designer to foster understanding, affection, and curiosity for Earth and its inhabitants. He lives in Decatur, Georgia.