The Race to the Beach! - Hardcover

Shuttlewood, Anna

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1499800991 ISBN 13: 9781499800999

Publisher: little bee books, 2015

Synopsis

On your mark, get set, GO! Find out which zoo animal will win the race to the beach in this fun, sweet picture book.

The zoo animals are off for a summer's day on the beach! They catch the train to the seaside and have a wonderful time eating ice cream and building sandcastles. Then Seal suggests a race in the water, and Giraffe finds himself left out--he's the only zoo animal who can't swim! But when Crocodile gets into trouble, it's up to Giraffe to prove who is really the bravest animal of all.

About this title

About the Author:

Anna Shuttlewood wrote and illustrated I'm the Happiest. She has also illustrated several other children's books including Get Up, Tom and Catching Flies.

From School Library Journal:

PreS-Gr 1—All of the zoo animals, including arctic creatures such as Polar Bear, wake up one morning and decide to board a train to the beach, where they eat watermelon, soak up sun, and build sand castles. When Seal suggests a race to see who can swim farthest out into the water, all of the other animals speculate about why disinterested Giraffe doesn't participate—maybe his spots will wash off, or maybe Giraffe can't swim. The race begins, and Crocodile is in the lead, until he realizes his feet aren't touching the bottom. Luckily, Giraffe runs (not swims) out to save him, all while keeping his own head above water. Nobody ever figures out if Giraffe can swim, but nobody cares, because he is brave. Shuttlewood's watercolor illustrations are vibrant, although a few of the two page spreads are so busy that children may have a hard time deciding where to focus their eyes. The plot makes sense until Crocodile, an animal that lives in water, struggles to swim, which may confuse or mislead some children. Some readers may notice that only Hippo wears clothing, in and out of the water. VERDICT While the story has appealing elements such as friendly zoo animals and a fun train ride and a beach, the book misses the mark with its busy illustrations and heavy-handed message.—Liz Anderson, D.C. Public Library

About this edition

• Publisher: little bee books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1499800991
• ISBN 13: 9781499800999
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40