School Library Journal Review
PreS-In the same playful, rhyming style as in this pair's All You Need for a Snowman (Harcourt, 2002), this story unfolds. "One grain of sand/like the smallest seed,/-that's all you need/for a beach!/Except for/-Trillions of grains of sand,/and EACH/is one small piece/of your very own beach!" Add to that sun, birds, water, balls, umbrellas, towels, lemonade, and "YOU!" Children will delight in the exuberance of the text and the vibrant illustrations that bring all of the sights, smells, and textures to life. The characters in the gouache-and-watercolor illustrations are similar to those in Snowman, but they have a wonderful, soft quality that perfectly conveys the hazy lazy joy of being at the shore. A good choice for reading aloud.-Genevieve Gallagher, Orange County Public Library, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Kids trade their winter coats for swimsuits in All You Need for a Beach by Alice Schertle, illus. by Barbara Lavallee. As in their All You Need for a Snowman, author and artist evoke an experience as an accretion of "necessary" details-and children. "One grain of sand, like the smallest seed, one tiny grain, that's all you need for a beach!" the text declares. Subsequent admonitions ("Wait!"; "But") lead to additional beach necessities such as the sun, toys, snacks, sea birds and, of course, the ocean. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
