I've written a book which contains activities and a field guide to
intertidal creatures that one might be expected to find when exploring
low tides.  The book is targetted at 3rd through 6th grade kids.  The
title currently is "Low Tide Explorations in Northern California". 
I'm working with a publisher and they've requested that the title be
more "active."

So I've tried to come up with other titles that convey the same basic
information but are more active.  All my titles are pretty bad.  A
sample follow at the end.

Can you come up with a good title?  If I use one, I'll pay the person
who came up with it (even in a comment) a "tip" of $10 (I think that
works--if it doesn't, I'll use paypal or something).

Here are some of the titles that I've come up with and don't much
like:

Where Water Recedes
Coastal Exploration in Northern California

Where Water Recedes
Intertidal Exploration in Northern California

Creatures at the Boundary
Low Tide Exploration in Northern California

Exploring Low Tide Creatures in Northern California

Peering Into the Edge
Low Tide Exploration in Northern California

Life on the Sidelines
Not a Baseball Story!

Where Water Recedes
Low Tide Creatures of Northern California

Loving Low Tide
Amazing Creatures Living at the Edge

Creatures of the Seashore

Seashore Explorations

Exploring the Intertidal Zone
 
Shoreline Life in Northern California
 
Searching the Shoreline
 
Looking into Low Tide
 
I Spy...in Low Tide

Dear Ghost

May I give it a shot?

You must have had a wonderful time researching 
the book. Let's see if we can make the title
as much fun.

No doubt you will be doing a series about the sea,
or for progressively older children...and adults


Mysteries of the Not-So-Deep:
Low-Tide Life 

Low Tide Tales and Tours

Sea Creature Courses

Seeing Sea Creatures

Walk Softly on the Sand

Air Holes in the Sand

Life with Limpets

The Life Beneath Your Feet

The Sand is Alive 

Ebb-Tide Tales

Sea Secrets

Fun with Sea Creatures

Wet, Wild and Watery

Tides, Tadpoles and Tidepools

Unburied Treasures of The Sea

Sea Urchins for Street Urchins (ok, not this)

Stars in the Sand

Do Starfish Have Teeth? and Other Mysteries of the Seashore

Sea Creatures I Have Known and Loved

Barnacles and Other Crunchy Creatures

Seashore Sights

Really Seeing the Seashore

I See SeaShells below the SeaShore

Inside the Shells, and other Sea Life

Mollusks and More

Beach Party Smarty


Is there anything in here that works for you?

Your TaxMama-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by ghost_rider-ga on 23 Nov 2002 09:02 PST

Some of these are very creative and fun titles--you're obviously a
"word smith".  My personal favorite was "Life with Limpets".
   But honestly I don't think that any of them really hit the mark. 
The title has to have something about exploring low tides and only a
few of your titles really incorporate that idea.  There was a title
that I liked when I was trying to come up with one: "Life at the
Edge".  I was very pleased with myself until I realized it was the
title of a book on my bookshelf.  But even that title would need a
subhead: Life at the Edge: Exploring Low Tides, or some such.  Perhaps
that's a good idea--a short pithy title with a subtitle such as
"Exploring Low Tides" which really explains what the book is about.  A
few of your titles work that way: "Sea Secrets: Exploring Low Tides"
for example.
   The title "Do Starfish have Teeth? and Other Mysteries of the
Seashore" matches quite well the marketing copy that has been written
for the back of the book, which asks a series of "Did you know" type
questions.  But the book's focus is really on physically and
personally exploring intertidal life rather than an "interesting facts
about sea creatures" type of book.
      And yes, it was fun researching the book.  I got to learn of the
current raging controversies on the taxonomy of certain members of the
Mytilus family.  "Edulis" is apparently not what it once was--a big
deal in certain circles such as the molluscan subgroup of the London
Gastropod Society.
   And thank you very much for the work that you've done.  If you
don't want to do more, you've already earned a positive review.  This
is my first question on Google Answers and I'm reeling at the
possibilities it opens up.
   Cheers.

---

Clarification of Answer by taxmama-ga on 24 Nov 2002 16:01 PST

Dear Ghost, 

It's great to know there are still controversies
and new data. With all the new equipment and more
sensitive DNA testing and all, no doubt, lots of 
life forms will be reclassified over time. 

Actually, I've still been thinking of titles, too.
I wasn't satisfied with them either.

The Limpet title kept giving me visions of Don Knotts
as Mr. Limpet (it was him, right? Yup)
http://www.reel.com/movie.asp?MID=4896


I really like your idea - 
"Sea Secrets: Exploring Low Tides"
Volume I - Northern California

It would lend itself to a series as you travel
California, then up the coast to Alaska, down to Baja...
or to any beach in the world. 

From some of my marketing reading, 'secrets' in a
title increases sales dramatically.

(Do this right, and think of the tax write-offs for all your travel!)

Each of these titles would work with a subheading.

But, for some other choices, how about:

Intertidal Trekking

Exploring the Golden Coast

Your Guide Below the Tide

Your Personal Guide to the Low Tide

Tidepool Trips for Teens and Pre-Teens
(Sorry, can't seem to get away from alliteration)

Actually:

Tidepool Trips


OK, here it is!

Seashore Safaris


With the focus on exploration, I just couldn't
come up with anything good to go with 'anemones'.
But it's such a great word, that you know using
it in a title, it would be remembered by kids.

Anemones, as Seen by Me

uh, oh....look what came from my fingertips!

=======

Intertidal Lore
by Taxmama-ga

Stars in my Eyes and Sand in my Toes,
Treasures Underfoot, When the Tide Goes 

Creatures that wiggle, tentacles that wave,
Tiny crabs scuttle to their little caves.

Children exploring, with teachers who know, 
The names of the creatures, and just where to go.

Because of the book (YOUR NAME)researched and wrote,
We can all explore sea life, with nary a boat!

=======

Please, do let us know the title you end up using.

If you post it as a request for clarification, 
It will get e-mailed to me. 

Gee, a book like that would be great to take with
me on my trip to sea next month.

Best wishes,

Your TaxMama-ga

TaxMama really took the problem and ran with it.  It's clear that
he/she gave it a good deal of thought and came up with a lot of
creative solutions.  Even if we don't end up using one of the titles
suggested, he/she has brought a lot of creative input to the problem. 
Super!

I think the trick is to get a short title that has a spark in it:

Treasures in Low Tide
Hidden Treasures
Life in the Low Lane (ok I admit thats a bad one)
When the Water Rolls Back

Having come up with one suggestion, you should be aware that you are
only able to tip the researcher who submits the answer, and using
paypal is not permitted because researchers should not be posting
contact information.

Good luck,

tisme-ga

Triumphant Treasures
Living Gems from the Borders of the Sea

Just a thought

Cheers
digsalot

Boy that's a hard one!  All I can think of is:

Let’s go to the edge of the sea and explore all the wonders that be!
A guide to Northern California’s tidal creatures

Or

The young Oceanographers hands on tidal exploration guide of Northern
California

I don't know!  You have so much to say there.  It's hard to make it
sound good.  Let us know what you came up with.

All the best,
James

As someone who regularly walks the beach (in eastern Canada) may I suggest:

(a title to interest enquiring young minds)

Surf Edge Tidal Treasure
...of Northern California

Good luck in your search!

Brudenell