When we’re young, or even as adults, very little can come close to the joy of a perfect day at the beach and it’s beautifully encapsulated in this picture book.
Five young children – the littlest very young indeed – are staying in a cosy cottage looking out to sea. They have spent the day on the beach, feet sandy, waves ‘hush-hushing on the shore’, treasures of sea-glass and pebbles found and safely stored under pillows. Now night is falling and everyone is climbing into bed.
The watercolour illustrations are bathed in the warm hues of summer, the group of five little friends immediately familiar in their stance and movements, while Joy Cowley’s text is very special, a fifty word poem, each short line perfect in its simplicity. The final lines sum up the day, ‘Good day, good sea, good sand, good night’ and I can see lots of parents and children taking this into their own family lexicography.
An evocative and beautiful bedtime picture book that distils the essence of summer at the beach—creaky old bed, sandy feet, waves hush-hushing and a shell under the pillow.
Summer holidays by the sea have a rhythm all their own. With a few resonant images Cowley takes us straight to the end of a long hot day with beach treasures under the pillow and the salty smell of the sea. The cadence of the final words echoes the shushing waves in a gentle signal of time for readers to sleep
good day, good sea, good sand, good night
This simple poem by internationally renowned Joy Cowley transports the reader to a childhood summer with language that asks to be read over and over. Hilary Jean Tapper’s warm watercolor and ink illustrations add an inclusive cast of extended family, friends and children of different ages.
'a simple but powerful book that captures the joy of childhood and is a story families will treasure.' - Books + Publishing, Australia
'An ideal bedtime story, where every word counts.' - Magpies magazine, New Zealand
'This book is full of the warmth of friends and family, the basics of the beach and the joy of a simple holiday home.' - National Library of New Zealand, Best Children's Books of 2023
'One you will read so often, you’ll know it off by heart and your kids will start joining in.' - The Sapling, New Zealand
'Absolutely 5 stars recommendation without a hesitation!' - Just So Stories, Australia
'Beautifully illustrated. A lovely gift for a preschool child.' - Joan McKenzie, Whitcoulls Head of Books
Author
About Joy Cowley
Joy Cowley is one of New Zealand’s best-loved writers for children and adults, with an international reputation. She has won a multitude of awards and honours for her bestselling books, including the Prime Minister's Award for contribution to literature. She was shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2018.
