To the Beach!

Title: To the Beach!
Author: Linda Ashman
Illustrator: Nadine Westcott
Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.
Grade level: k-2
Genre: Picture book/ realistic fiction

Summary: This family is packed and ready to go to the beach on a beautiful sunny day. But then one of the daughters yells that they left the dog at home. So they turn the car around and go get Fido. On their way again dad remembers the umbrella so the turn around to go get it. After taking off again the little boy yells for his “ducky pail” so they turn around and go get that too. Their day continues like this until they finally got everything packed and are almost to the beach when a big storm comes and its pouring rain. So after the do a u turn and head back home, unpack the car…then the sun come back out. So through all the stuff in the front yard and enjoy the sun right there at home.

Response: I thought this was a cute book. I feel like I have days like this! I really liked how this family made the best of their day even though it started off so hectic. And in fact it might have even turned out better because now when they are done they don’t even have to drive home!

Teaching Ideas: I would use this book to discuss the weather probably with kindergarteners of first graders. I would use it to point out how unpredictable the weather is! Ask the class for any stories were they were at the park, beach, outside when they thought it was going to be a sunny day when it started to rain. I might also use this book to show that even though it looks like this family was going to have a bad day, they made the best of it and ended up have a great day all together because they improvised. I might then give the class a scenario like they were looking forward to a spend-the-night party when they found out at the last minute their friend couldn’t come. What could they do to make the best of it? Rent a movie and watch it with mom and dad? Or use that time to have fun by yourself?