Miranda's Beach Day
Miranda and her mother enjoy time at the beach soaking in the sights and sounds. With two other children, Miranda builds “the best castle ever” for a small crab. When the tide washes the castle and crab away, Miranda is sad, but before heading home her mother reassures her that the castle belongs to the sand and the crab to the sea. Watercolor and collagraph (printed collage) illustrations featuring large expanses of sand and sky, with Miranda and the other characters strategically placed, give this a peaceful feel in keeping with the comforting message of the text. Details, such as the salty sand sticking to the child’s skin, allow small children to vicariously enjoy a quiet beach day with Miranda. The final page features a brief text and photos explaining the process of making the collagraph illustrations. Preschool-Kindergarten. --Randall Enos