Ben at the Beach - Hardcover

PreSchool-Grade 1-- A gentle British import marred by lackluster writing and awkwardly executed illustrations. Ben and his younger sister, Charlotte, go to the beach with their grandmother. Eager to test his new fishing rod and catch a "big, big fish," Ben discovers that children aren't allowed on the dock. Fishing from the shore doesn't work, so he plays with Charlotte and they unexpectedly win first prize in a sand castle contest. The prize, an inflatable boat, allows Ben to finally put his new rod to use and land a big catch. The portrait of an older brother patiently playing with a younger sister is heartwarming, and the story is well intentioned. But the writing is choppy and the language unimaginative. The plot device of the contest is contrived; a man suddenly pops up and awards the children their prize. McTaggart's watercolor and charcoal-pencil illustrations do little to salvage the text. He seems to strive for fairly realistic proportions and features in his human characters, yet he gives them dots for eyes. Throughout the book, distracting and totally improbable shadows envelop the characters. These deep shadows are unnecessary and, in time, become downright annoying. While the themes and scenes are pleasant, the end product is disappointing. --Denise Anton Wright, Library Book Selection Service, Inc., Bloomington, IL
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The day gets off to a rocky start when Grandma takes Ben and Charlotte to the beach. Ben discovers that he isn't allowed to use his new fishing pole on the pier, and his sister refuses to go into the "bad water," where she is convinced monsters live. To distract her, Ben suggests they build a sand castle, and holds the toddler's hand as they wade into the water to fill her bucket. The siblings' creation wins them first prize in the sand-castle contest. They receive an inflatable boat, which Grandma rows as Ben fishes with his pole and Charlotte watches out for monsters. Ideal for summer reading, Macdonald's ( Fatso Jean, the Ice Cream Queen ) tale offers a heartwarming portrait of a caring older brother. Though McTaggart ( Make It, Break It ) depicts amiable characters in lifelike settings, his rather flat illustrations are rendered with a disappointingly drab palette. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.