Sandcastle

Delightfully fanciful, with copious funny details to pore over.

Best of all, the hidden peekaboos—a unicorn here, a mermaid there, bird-people on the side—make the pages worth revisiting over and over. Every page is an utter pleasure.

A girl visits the beach and shares her love of building sandcastles with a multitude of characters who come to enjoy the wonder of the expansive castle she makes. Soon, the guests become upset when everything starts to turn to sand. The little girl explains that sand is what the castle is made of, then a sand-ball fight ensues. And, just like that, everything is washed away in the tide. Tsarfati's story is entertaining and shares one little girl's love of sandcastles in a unique way. In a time when technology is all around us, this story reminds us that simple things, like sandcastles, can help our imaginations run rampant. Tsarfati's illustrations are engrossing and detailed, and they could easily be used in a wordless picture book. The detail and vibrancy makes it hard to turn the pages, for there are suprises everywhere. VERDICT Worth considering for purchase. Glimpses of familiar characters, from other books or movies are a special treat.—Maeve Dodds, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, NC

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"The fun of this treasure trove begins with its tactile cover: a sandpapery castle against the glossy blue-sky antics of the girl who built it... Tsarfati sneaks in sublimely ridiculous details: Look, there's an igloo on the beach, wisely in partial shade. She even hides a tiny swimsuit-wearing mouse throughout, à la Richard Scarry's gold bug." —The New York Times Book Review 

"Saturated colors, particularly the deep yellow of the sandcastle and the blue of the ocean and sky, perfectly evoke a hot summer day, and the potential for re-readability and the many absurdities lurking in the ornate scenes make this an excellent choice to engage and occupy any youngster." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books