Beach House is the perfect read-aloud for a beach vacation, or for the middle of winter when a seaside trip is just a pleasant reverie.
It’s a windy day when the family arrives at the beach, and relaxation feels so close as the father stretches out his back after a long drive. But the colorful bags are unloaded and form a mountain on the floor, and no one is going anywhere until they’re all unpacked.
The family is full of anticipation for the sand and the sea, and even the dog clambers onto the windowsill. Finally, with the words “Let’s go!” the whole family parades to the beach, the dog leading the way and the father hidden by bags and inner tubes. Evocative language places readers instantly—“Breathe salt air. Squint at the sun.”—as wind froths the ocean into waves and the family frolics. The dog eyes a sidestepping crab.
As the blue sky darkens into a golden sunset, the parents stroll hand in hand and the children clamber on rocks, digging for clams and spotting starfish and sea urchins. Soon hot dogs are toasted over a seaside fire pit and consumed before bath and bed and dreams of tomorrow.
Author Deanna Caswell’s pleasant rhymes are easy on the ear, and illustrator Amy June Bates brings the pages to life with brilliant colors that are cheerful enough to bring home the beach, even on the rainiest of days.
Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
