Like people, coconut crabs are long-lived, agile, and inquisitive. They are sometimes brave, sometimes fearful. They cherish friendship, enjoy a good feed, and appreciate a nap in the heat of the day. Youngsters are vulnerable to attack, and soon develop a protective shell. There are differences of course—most notably in the appendages, and in the lidless, jutting eyes—but this story emphasizes similarities and convergences. Crab meets bird meets goat meets gecko: that’s the plot in a nutshell. Along the way, there are the usual challenges of our eat-or-be-eaten world. The perils of timidity, confusion, and self-doubt. The enticements of vanity and routine. The rewards of fearless generosity and genuine trust.