Beach

Picture-book author/artist Elisha Cooper explores a day at the beach in this engaging title, opening at dawn when the strand is almost deserted, depicting the myriad of activities and events that occur as people begin to arrive, and closing at dusk, as once again the sand begins to empty. In between, wordless two-page spreads are intermingled with spreads in which a series of miniature illustrations are paired with a description of what is going on. People swim, sunbathe and play in the sand, enjoying the beauty of this border region between land and sea...

Having enjoyed every other Elisha Cooper title I have picked up - favorites would have to include the wonderfully droll Magic Thinks Big, as well as the immensely poignant Big Cat, show more Little Cat - I wasn't surprised to find that Beach had immense appeal for me. Cooper captures the sense of magic and fun of a day at the shore, not just for individuals but for the entire ecosystem. The artwork, done in watercolor and pencil, is just lovely, and the text evocative. When the author writes: "The perfect wave lifts high and drops low and can be felt in the stomach," I was transported to my own youth, and the magical days I spent at the beach with my own family, jumping through waves again and again, until exhausted. Recommended to all young beach lovers, and to anyone looking for picture-books about what humans get up to at the shore. show less

Who wants to head to the beach? This was an enchanting book that will cause you to reflect on your experience on going to the beach. This book lacks characters but does a superb job in delivering a story. Cooper does a great job of creating meaning through illustrations that evokes a mood without dictating how the reader should feel. Some readers may get a sense of calm in the story while others may feel that the book conveys a high energy atmosphere. Cooper seems to leave the tone up for interpretation which is truly wonderful; its like his intention was to bring you to the beach and become a part of his story.

This children's picture book all about the beach and would fit into the genre of nonfiction or informational books. It could also fit into the poetry genre, even though the text doesn't rhyme, it is lyrical and flows poetically. Award-winning author and illustrator Elisha Cooper captures the simple magic of building sand castles, collecting shells, jumping into waves and follows all the activities and things to do at the beach. I would use this book in content-area literacy center that focused on the ocean, because it helps students build background knowledge of topics that are unfamiliar to them if they have not been to the beach, or have spent little time there. This would also be a good text to use the reading strategy, 'Creating show more Images' since so many of the words and phrases appeal to the senses, students can look for them in this book and talk about what the words make them feel or think of. show less

Summary: This book describes in great detail, a day at the beach. Using both words and illustrations, the author describes the people at the beach and what they all are doing, the sounds and the sights of the beach, covering the day from beginning to end.

Review: A wonderful book; the illustrations are stunning; simple, yet somehow incredibly detailed at the same time. Each detail of the story is illustrated with a small picture, and there are also some pages that are entirely illustrations, without any words at all. I really love how the author thoroughly covers every detail of what is happening at the beach, all day long. This book honestly made me feel as though I'd just spent the day at the beach; nothing is left out. I highly show more recommend this book.

Central Idea of Beach: You can spend an entire day at the beach without going anywhere, as long as you can create a detailed scene in your mind's eye. show less

This is an interesting observational story of a day at the beach. It is full of listing and great imagery. Wonderful reading for description of setting.

This story book starts off with a series of 12 people all doing various activities on the beach, such as building sand castles, flying a kite, and setting up an umbrella. It then goes on to describe the people getting into the water. A lifeguard is brought to our attention as he watches over the surroundings. The book leaves people and focuses on the motion of the waves. This realistic fiction gives you and idea of what all you might possibly see at the beach and the nature aspects it brings as well. Primary grades would love this read.

Really enjoyed the activities and accompanying illustrations describing a day at the beach! Delightful!