A review by backonthealex
The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow

4.0

How do you describe the seashore to a person has never been there? Make it a sensory experience, but using descriptive language instead of actual sensory experience. When a young boy asks his mother what the seashore is like, she begins with the break of day and the changing colors of sky and water as the sun come up. At the beach, there are treasures for him to explore - shells, seaside creatures, a gulls lost feather. The cold ocean “makes you skin feel like peppermint” and the noonday sun tires you out. In the afternoon, there is an airplane to run after, twirling in the sand, and the walk home. After a wonderful, busy day, it impossible to stay awake to even notice the on/off beam of the lighthouse. Zolotow’s lyrical descriptions perfectly reflect the sights and sounds of a day at the beach, transporting mother and son so vividly that it almost feels as though they had been there. Added to this imaginary experience are Minor’s soft gouache and watercolor illustrations in a palette of blues and yellows that will leave the reader with the sensation of hot sun and sand countered with the coolness of the ocean’s water. This reissue is a welcomed delight.