Reviews

This was a lovely book. The explanation at the end that showcases what the author did with the words of this poetic book adds to the simplicity of the words on the pages.

Seaside Stroll is a really lovely picture book, but the artwork is the star for me. Despite the author's note at the end explaining every detail of the word choices (which feels somehow trying too hard to explain itself), the text didn't totally work for me - it's meant to be alliterative, sensory and evocative, but the interchangeable use of a soft S and SH underminded the alliterative effect, and some of the words didn't totally make sense to me, like the inclusion of "shoulder" in one line. With such sparse, poetic text, it should really speak for itself, and not require this kind of explanatory note.

That being said, it would still be fun to read aloud with a very young child, and the illustrations are definitely worth it - expressive figures, beautiful sea-washed color palette, and richly textured images of the shore, sea, and sky are sure to make this a family favorite for many.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the advance review copy!

curlyjessreads's review

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5.0

I was provided a free copy of this book by @netgalley and @charlesbridgepublishing in exchange for my honest review.
I was enticed by this cute sounding story as my parents live on an island and we have many seaside strolls when we visit! My six year old daughter read this cute story to me tonight before bed! Her favorite parts were the illustrations and the animals (we even went back through after we were finished reading to make sure we saw all the animals on each page)! She said that she thought the story needed real sentences, but it brought about a discussion on artistic license!

j_b_'s review

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4.0

You know all those times teachers come to the library wanting books that feature one letter? Have I got the S book for you.

backonthealex's review

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4.0

It's a cold, windy winter day when a young girl, her doll, and her mother bundle up and head out to the beach. There's still snow on the sand to play in, seagulls flying overhead to chase, all kinds of gifts from the sea - seaweed, shells, and stones, even crabs scurrying as seagulls circle - to explore. But tripping on the edge of a tide pool just as a wave hits causes the doll to drop from the little girls hands. Oh dear! Our heroine reaches in to save her doll, and the two of them are wet, cold, with sopping shoes, socks and scarf. Time to go home and have a warm shower, then put on some cozy clothes, have a nice supper and a story about a brave crab until bedtime. The beach in winter sometimes feels like a magical place with all the other people gone and Charles Trevino has really captured that magic. What really makes this a standout picture book, however, is the lyrical language coupled with the textured digital and watercolor illustrations. The blue of the ocean with its white caps reminded me so much of the Atlantic Ocean in winter. One of the things that makes the language so expressive is that every word used begins with the letter S - nouns, adjectives, verbs and interjections are all carefully chosen sensory words that brilliantly tell this story: "Scruffy shoes, socks, sweater...scratchy silly scarf." In the back matter, Trevino explains the four parts of speech used, and points out special lines that match other lines. There is also suggestions for what you might find if you decide to explore the beach. I haven't read this to my young readers yet, but I have told them about it and they really looking forward to our next story time (and so am I).

Copy provided by Edelweiss+