If anyone else has recently been stuck in the house for days by snow and ice, then they may also enjoy this refreshing glimpse of a simple seaside vacation. Ty (seen here on the cover) and his family bring their trailer to the same spot on the beach each summer. This year he is old enough to try and catch his first fish. He pulls on his new red wading boots and sets off as his parents set up their campsite. Ty greets his friend the pelican who is resting on the same post as when Ty saw him last summer.
The illustrations capture the warm colors of the sand and sun, the cool blue of the water, and the open expanse of the sky over the waves. Scenes show Toby sprinting along after a line of sandpipers with their "speedy legs" scissoring back and forth, or his pelican friend diving "beak first" into the waves to scoop up a fish. Readers will be as dismayed as Toby when they see his new boots carried off by the rising tide. A look underwater shows fish and crabs gathered curiously around one of the lost boots.
Originally published in 1961, this classic from the creator of Corduroy has been restored and will be released on May 7, 2024 - just in time for summer vacation. The elements of the story are timeless - kids, fishing, summer at the beach with family, camping out, and being warned not to lose a new article of clothing - and the story and illustrations have held up remarkably well. Young readers today will enjoy this glimpse into learning a new skill, revisiting a favorite place, and enjoying a day in nature.
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