SEASHELL KEY

The kids who live at a beachy vacation town make their own fun.

Summer has begun at Seashell Key, and the local children are ready. Heuer divides the book into four stories, each an “act” made up of a few short chapters. First up is Mateo, who’s inspired by his father’s Sky and Sea Shop to start his own business making animal kites. In Act II, sisters Sophia and Sasha have a beach picnic. The girls’ wildly different personalities come through: Sasha’s an organized, grounded, and studious artist, while the free-spirited Sophia is imaginative and mischievous. The third and funniest story involves the trio of siblings who live in the lighthouse and decide to lure in tourists for a delightfully spurious tour of their home. The final act brings all the kids together. Sasha draws them all, and they enjoy Mateo’s kites before having a fruity dessert. The island setting almost feels like a character itself, and the mild conflicts make the book ideal for sensitive beginning readers. Short sentences and paragraphs are broken up by engaging illustrations, resulting in an unintimidating chapter book for reluctant or struggling readers. In the illustrations, Mateo is dark-skinned, Sasha and Sophia present Black, and the lighthouse trio present white. Final art not seen.

Appealingly light and gentle, with a sprinkle of good-natured mischief.