Using the English nursery rhyme and cumulative tale, This is the House That Jack Built, as a basis for her text, author Megan Maynor tells the story of Lola, whose sandcastle making is continually interrupted by other children, each of whom eventually joins her in creating an amazing structure. But when their creation is wiped out by a rogue wave, is that the end of the fun...?

A sweet, engaging book about a day at the seashore, The Sandcastle That Lola Built emphasizes friendship and teamwork, depicting a diverse group of kids all working together and having fun. The repetitive structure of the text lends itself to reading aloud, while the colorful artwork captures the energy of the young children being depicted. My favorite scene, visually speaking, was the one in which a distraught Lola sits on the beach, while mermaid-shaped clouds float by. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books about the beach, as well as to those in the market for new revisions of the classic "House That Jack Built" type tale. ( )