MAYA GOES TO THE BEACH

Maya and her family are back, this time on a trip to the beach, in this third rhyming series installment from Maya and Jello and Gustyawan.

Maya and her family—all brown skinned with curly black hair—pile into their family van with their dog and all their beach equipment. Maya explains: “I’m so excited / Can’t wait to reach. / We’re heading to / My favorite beach.” The family walks down to the pier and settles into the sand, where Maya’s mother’s hat provides shade for nearly the whole family. Maya’s brother, Kyle, surfs while Maya plays in the sand—making pictures, burying her feet, and finally building a castle with the family that her dog, Biscuit, destroys. The rhyming text (which is sometimes awkwardly executed), offered in simple vocabulary, gives no real plot or conflict; instead, the verses describe positive moments in a family seaside trip. Gustyawan’s cartoon illustrations capture Maya’s enthusiasm, although the artist’s depiction of building a sand castle (with actual solid bricks of sand) is unlikely to match the experiences of actual beachgoers. The book’s design features one page of illustration opposite the text page, which is laid out against a zoomed-in close-up of a beach wave detail. Despite the fuzzy image, the text, in a clear black font, is clear and will be accessible to newly independent readers.

Beach lovers—or children who like to imagine the beach—may request this feel-good book on repeat.