The tiny hermit crab loves his new shell. He doesn't want to share it -- not with a blobby purple anenome and a tickly bristleworm. But life in the rock pool proves tougher than Crab thinks, and soon he finds he needs his new housemates in this rollicking story of sea, shells and friendship.

Julia Donaldson is the UK's most successful picture book author, whose titles include the acknowledged modern classic, The Gruffalo, together with Room On The Broom, The Smartest Giant In Town and The Snail And The Whale, all illustrated by Axel Scheffler. This is her first picture book with Lydia Monks. Julia is also much in demand for her brilliant events for children at schools, libraries and literary festivals. Lydia Monks is one of the UK's most original picture book artists, whose brilliantly coloured collage images have given her a strong following. Her previous books for Macmillan include Esmerelda by Karen Wallace, and Queen Munch And Queen Nibble and The Skipping-Rope Snake, both by Carol Ann Duffy.