BEACH DAY

Young readers will be searching for flip-flops and sunscreen upon finishing this kicky look at a summer day spent at the shore. In her picture book debut, Roosa serves up myriad salty, sandy and sunny images in bouncy verse. ("High clouds flurry,/ Sand crabs scurry—/ Hungry swimmers/ In a hurry!/ Chicken legs,/ Deviled eggs.../ What a banquet!/ Seagull begs.") From building sandcastles to romping in the surf and enjoying a beach blanket feast, Roosa incorporates all the fun things that families do on a beach-vacation day that stretches from morning to twilight. Smith (This Is Your Garden) matches Roosa's joyful tone step for step, depicting families of every size, shape and color, donning all manner of bright bathing suits, sun hats and cover-ups. A rainbow of sand toys, towels, beach umbrellas and coolers dot the dunes and the beach itself like colored pebbles. Smiling children and kind-faced adults (and a couple of playful pooches) make use of every part of nature's playground; sailors and kite-fliers in the background further extend the energetic on-the-sand and in-the-water scenes. All told, this book will have the whole family hankering for a day by the water. Ages 3-6. (Apr.)