If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't! (Magnolia Says Don't! #2)

Magnolia, the star of Parsley's If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don't!, and her multiracial family are beach-bound, and Magnolia insists on bringing the family piano. Before long, the piano has smooshed their lunch, gotten covered in seagull droppings, and floated off into the water. A situation this off-kilter requires a solution to match--fishing pole to the rescue!--and even that leads to more surprises. Magnolia's wiser-than-thou narration and Parsley's energetic illustrations are in perfect comic sync, though no words are needed for a misanthropically hilarious scene of Magnolia and her piano being attacked by hungry seagulls. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (May)

PreS-Gr 2--There's nothing like a day at the seashore. The gifts offered up by the restless ocean are always magical and stimulating--who knows what might be dreamt up and built. Of course, getting to the beach can often be a wearing process, and in this amusing story, a young girl decides that she must take her piano on her family's outing. Magnolia will not be deterred by the instrument's size or inappropriateness; she will bring it, and her busy mother finally consents by demanding that she "better not lose it!" Although initially this seems a far-fetched possibility, before long that is exactly what happens. How the piano ends up drifting out to sea and how Magnolia finally discovers the pleasure of finding shells make for a charming and hilarious story. Parsley highlights the joy, determination, and unreasonableness of young children and how parents can capitulate to the demands of their kids in order to achieve peace and provide them with a special experience. Her strong lines and bright colors are perfect for a book about the beach, but it is her expressive faces that will captivate readers. With just a few lines, Parsley conveys the many emotions of childhood, from excitement to frustration to contentment to dismay.