Beach House

April 27, 2015
After a long drive from their suburban neighborhood, a family of five arrives at an idyllic cottage that rests on a quiet section of beachfront. Once they have unpacked, they schlep their beach supplies to the sand: "Goggles, swimmies,/ masks, and fins./ Buckets, shovels./ Fun begins!" writes Caswell (Train Trip) in punchy rhymes. Throughout the day, the family membersâa young mother and father, two boys, a girl, and their small dogâsplash in the waves, build sand castles, fly kites, dig for clams, and roast hotdogs over a fire. Bates's (Sweet Dreams) light-filled watercolor and pencil illustrations have a languidness that emphasizes basking in the pleasures of the moment. After a cozy bedtime routine, the youngest boy and the black-and-white pup gaze out the window at the moonlit waves: "Ocean hushes,/ palm trees sway./ Tomorrow's just/ a sleep away." Author and artist convey the breathless joy of a day spent at the oceanâand the assurance that there will be more to comeâin this warm celebration of the family vacation. Ages 3â5. Illustrator's agency: Shannon Associates.

July 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-Short rhyming lines tell a tale of an idyllic family summer getaway. Mom, dad, three kids, and their dog arrive in an overloaded car at their beach cottage. Hurriedly unpacking, they rush to the ocean where they enjoy a day full of swimming, playing in the sand, and flying kites. After a hotdog cookout in the evening, they head home to a sweetly restful night-"Tan limbs tangle./Snuggled tight./Rosy noses, /kissed goodnight," and a promise of continued fun-"Tomorrow's/just/a sleep/away." Bates's soft watercolor washes exude brightness and warmth of a summer day, enlivening Caswell's terse couplets with vivacious family scenes. VERDICT Breezy and fun, this story will make the beach-loving readers long for an outing of their own.-Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2015
In this dreamlike description of a family's annual summer vacation at a beach house, short, simple rhyming phrases capture the family's feelings and events of the day: "Breathe salt air. / Squint at the sun. / Hot-foot hopping. / Squeal and run." Bates's airy watercolor and pencil illustrations contribute to the carefree, whimsical feeling, leaving readers dreaming about their next beach day.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)