MAGIC BEACH
by Alison Lester & translated by Alison Lester
A favorite Australian illustrator pairs realistic and imaginative experiences at the beach: first, an expansive watercolor depicts children absorbed with playing in the surf or tidal pools, or constructing a vast sandcastle, or roasting marshmallows in a cove by moonlight; a turn of the page reveals a related make-believe scene enclosed in a soft-edged circle (e.g., the beachcombing spread is followed by a picture of the same kids finding a fabulous treasure chest). The carefully crafted verse descriptions are pleasant enough, but the lucid, beautifully observed illustrations here are outstanding: a splendid evocation of summers past and summers still to come. (Picture book. 4-8)