Llama Llama Sand and Sun
(Llama Llama)

Llama Llama hits the beach in this upbeat touch-and-feel story, and luckily for his mother (who Dewdney shows reading in her cover-up and sun hat underneath an umbrella), he's happy to entertain himself. Dewdney's characteristically cozy painting and versifying are evident as Llama Llama builds a sandpaper-textured sand castle ("Buckets, shovel, sand to dig./ Llama makes the castle BIG!"), splashes around with a glittery green fish, and finds a small crab by the shore (readers can catch a glimpse of themselves in the llama's mirrored sunglasses). A light diversion just right for tossing in a beach bag. Ages 3-5. (May)