Sandcastles Are Forever

by Ellie Peterson, Ellie Peterson (Illustrator)

Overview

From author-illustrator Ellie Peterson comes a sweet and heartfelt picture book about summertime, sandcastles, and the key to a long-lasting friendship.

For Cora and her best friend, Shelly, every day is a beach day.

When they get home from school, the girls shimmy into their swimsuits, grab their beach bags and buckets, and race to the water. Then their sandcastle-building ritual begins!

But one day Shelly announces she’ll soon be moving to the city, and suddenly Cora doesn’t feel like building sandcastles anymore. What’s the point when they’ll just wash away?

With gentle, heartfelt prose, author-illustrator Ellie Peterson explores the difficult feelings of loss and sadness that come when a friend moves away. Young readers will see that with the right tools—and a willingness to build again tomorrow—who’s to say the things you love can’t last forever?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250845689
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	05/14/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	486,416
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ellie Peterson grew up on army bases, where families move often and friends can be hard to keep. She now lives in Kirkland, Washington, and creates books like How to Hug a Pufferfish and School Is Wherever I Am. Ellie loves going to the beach; she once took third place in a sandcastle contest by building a giant sand hippo.

Editorial Reviews

2024-02-17
Sand castles don’t last long, but true friendship does.

Every day is a beach day for Cora and Shelly, two besties who live on the shore. After school, they suit up and head to the beach to build elaborate sand castles. Their constructions require “the right tools…loads of patience, and a good sense of humor.” Oh, and readiness to rebuild. But friendships, like sands, shift. One day, Shelly excitedly announces that she’s moving to the city to live with her mom. To Cora, it sounds like Shelly won’t miss anything—not even Cora. Over the next few days, Cora declines Shelly’s invitations to meet. Cora confides in supportive Mama, who explains that friendships resemble sand castles: “With the right tools—and some rebuilding—who’s to say they can’t last forever? The pals reassert their powerful bond and, even when they’re eventually separated, discover they have “the right tools” (stationery), “loads of patience” as they wait for the mail, and a “good sense of humor.” The best tool? They’re willing to rebuild. Kids should understand the sand castle–friendship metaphor in this sweet story. They’ll root for these pals and feel heartened at their ability to forge a lasting bond. The colorful digital illustrations are lively, and readers will admire the sand castles. Dark-haired Cora appears to be East Asian, while blond Shelley presents white.

Building friendships takes time and effort, but it’s fun and worth it. So is this book. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews