SEA CROW

A teaching story, but a good one, with sunlit, beach-washed illustrations. Jessica loves the beach by her new house, and keeps bringing shells, kelp, and beach glass home to her backyard. Her little brother Miles, who is too young for school, is afraid of many things, like the boxes of their stuff as yet unpacked, and goblins and spiders. Jessica is afraid, too, of her new school and of Show and Tell, but she doesn’t talk about it. She invites a new friend over, and she, Alicia, and Miles make a figure out of all that beach detritus that Jessica calls a Sea Crow, not a scarecrow. Jessica says telling their fears to the Sea Crow will make them feel better—and they do. The next day is hot, so Jessica wears shorts to school, revealing her artificial leg and responding honestly to Alicia’s questions about it. The tension is nicely resolved and the pale colors and gentle lines of the pictures serve the story well. (Picture book. 4-8)