By the Sea: An Alphabet Book

Adele Ashby was the former editor of Canadian Materials for Schools and Libraries.

Ann Blades lives at Crescent Beach in British Columbia, and seascapes have appeared in a number of her works, including the Cottage at Crescent Beach (Magook) and A Salmon for Simon (Groundwood). The same gentle tranquility, achieved through soft muted tones, is to be found in By the Sea. The alphabet is represented by familiar words associated with any child’s experience of the beach. But what differentiates this alphabet book from so many others is that it actually has a story-line. Two children, a boy and his younger sister, spend a day at the beach; they play ball, watch a fisherman, lick an ice cream cone, fly a kite, toast marshmallows, and finally, day almost done, have a snooze. Both text and illustrations are understated. The words on each page simply identify an object (e.g., “umbrella”) and present the letter it represents in upper and lower case. The pictures tell the story. Because of the story, the book will appeal to a much wider age range than is usual with alphabet books. A perfect companion to any trip to the beach, whether real or in the imagination.