Children learn that nothing is perfect. Children learn to be okay with who they are. Children learn to be happy with what they create and who they are.
Age: 3-6
Source: Amazon

This book is about one friend who made a sand castle and the other friend thought it wasn't;'t perfect. They both decided to add other things to the sand castle such as stairs, more windows, and making it bigger. At the end the ocean water washed it all way. The friends decided to get ice cream and make the sand castle the way it was before and everything was perfect. I enjoyed this book as this book is great to share with children ages 3-7 years old. ( )

Two creatures make a sandcastle and keep thinking of additions at the last second in attempt to better their castle, but the more effort and struggle they endure with each new challenge, they realize that maybe more isn't all that better.

I am always up for a new book by this duo, and this beach adventure does not disappoint.

Our favorite furry pair is back - the big golden critter and the little purple critter - and this time they have built a sand castle! A perfect sand castle... or is it?

First the friends themselves have some ideas for improvements, then more friends show up - the blue kangaroo, pink polka-dotted poodle/giraffe, and they have suggestions. The two friends get busy as the crowd grows and so do the suggestions. More arches! A drawbridge! Even the giant green foot has an idea - MOAT! With creativity and lots of hard work, the two keep building until the sand castle is perfect and everyone is ready for a photo... just in time for a giant wave.

Oh no! Is the perfect sand castle spoiled? It turns out, when two good friends are together, their sand castle - and their friendship - is just perfect no matter what.

I love how these stories always veer away from the expected, obvious moral. While the two friends do end up enjoying the sunset (and a treat) with their original sand castle, they also enjoy adding to it with the ideas of their friends. Weyant's illustrations show a broad range of emotions on the faces of the creatures, and a delightful imagination. This story is great for re-reading, looking for details in the growing sandcastle, new characters, and other little surprises. It also fits in well with previous books and readers can go back and read the whole series, enjoying the fun of the story and learning some thoughtful lessons about social interactions as well.

Verdict: An excellent addition to a fun and favorite series. Highly recommended for library and storytime collections.

ISBN: 9781542016629; Published May 2020 by Two Lions; Review copy provided by the publisher; Purchased for the library (I added the review copy to my professional collection to use in storytimes)