Published by Candlewick

Summary:  The team behind Over the Shop is back with a wordless story about a summer day at the beach.  A bus is shown driving down the highway on the title page.  It pulls into a beach parking lot, and one by one members of a family emerge: a boy, his younger sister, the youngest brother, Mom and Dad.  The kids get to work building sandcastles and continue to persevere through many obstacles all day long.  The ocean washes one castle away, a lady’s hat blows onto another, a toddler plows through a third.  Each time the kids survey the damage, then get back to work.  As shadows fall, they put the final touches on their best one yet, then everyone heads back to the bus for the ride home.  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A perfect summer book that captures the small moments of a day at the beach.  There are so many details and interesting people to see you’ll want to take your time poring over the illustrations.

Cons:  It seemed a shame that none of the family members went for a swim in the ocean.

May 25, 2022 at 04:09PM Janet Dawson