Good Night Beach

I couldn't resist reviewing a story about a place you will probably visit in the next few months.                  

THREE PROS

*Any time I can get a longish book that costs me 33 cents per page while still keeping us somewhat entertained is (at least temporarily) worth whatever warts it may have

*Cooper Kelly's style isn't my favorite, but his illustrations are undeniably detailed and full of color when compared to other offerings in this genre 

*It's rare that I learn something from a board book, but this one taught me that those guys that fish while standing on the beach are called surfcasters   

THREE CONS 

*I'd bet my life that Adam Gamble is an alien sent here to spy on us using the cover of a marginally talented kidlit author -- how else do you explain phrases like "Good afternoon, parents and brothers. Does the beach make you hungry?"

*While I want to give the writing team credit for working in two families of various backgrounds, I have to admit that I had trouble following exactly how many primary characters there were and if I had seen them before 

*The page with the seagulls is unclear -- are they warning them to fly away before the dog gets there or shooing them away because having seagulls in your vicinity is usually annoying 

ONE DAD'S OPINION

This cover design reminded me of some other books I have seen over the years.  So I had to look up the publisher, Our World of Books.  As it turns out, these guys have cornered the market on topical template quick reads.  By my unofficial count, it looks like they have 86 versions of what amounts to the same story in print (across several categories, although the majority are geographically-based).  For that reason alone, I don't think I could ever give it a Buy.  [Even though, I could see myself grabbing a copy of Good Night Nantucket, for example, if that small island held a special place in my heart.]  Blocking this factor out as best as I can in order to review the book on its own merits, I nonetheless arrive at the same rating.  With limited exposure, it can actually be quite nice.  Anything more than that will leave you feeling burnt.                              

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