Book Review: If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't

IF YOU EVER WANT TO BRING A PIANO TO THE BEACH, DON’T! by Elise Parsley is the second book in the humorous “MAGNOLIA SAYS DON’T” series.

This cautionary tale follows Magnolia who is determined to bring her piano to the beach. From fighting off nesting seagulls to washing the piano in the ocean, Magnolia deals with disaster after disaster before deciding that bringing a piano to the beach is a bad idea.

The combination of adorable, brightly colored illustrations with an unexpected ending make this picture book useful for read-aloud experiences. Librarians will find that the book lends itself to endless classroom connections for discussion and writing activities.

To learn more about the author-illustrator, go to http://www.eliseparsley.com/.

Published by Little, Brown for Young Readers on May 3, 2016, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: The Not-So-Faraway Adventure

THE NOT-SO-FARAWAY ADVENTURE by Andrew Larson is a heartwarming picture book telling the story of a child and her grandfather who plan a trip to the beach together.

Theo enjoys exploring her grandfather’s trunk full of photographs, maps, postcards, and other items from his many adventures. For her grandfather’s birthday, she plans a trip to the beach where they have an adventure together.

The simple, colorful illustrations effectively capture the day-to-day activities of Theo and her Poppa drawing readers into the story.

From the memory trunk and map making activity to the family beach adventure, librarians will find this multi-generational book appeals to young readers. The engaging story provides endless opportunities for classroom discussions and activities.

To learn more about the author, go to http://andrewlarsen.ca/.
To learn more about the illustrator, go to http://ireneluxbacher.com/.

Published by Kids Can Press on April 1, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.