Jules vs. the Ocean: A beach day adventure by Jessie Sima

Jules, her mom, and her sister are spending the day at the beach. They all have brown skin and hair in shades of purple-tinted brown, her mom with a pixie cut, Jules with a straight cut just under her ears, and her sister with slightly curly waist-length hair. While her mom, in a green suit and cover-up that shows the curves of her thighs and stomach, settles on the beach with a book (20,000 leagues under the sea), Jules' sister heads out to sea with her surfboard. Jules, in shorts and tank top, settles down to build an amazing sand castle that will impress her sister.

But the ocean smashes it. Jules builds it again, determined to keep it away from the ocean and impress her sister.

And the ocean smashes it.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Finally, the ocean even takes Jules' bucket! Defeated, Jules gives up. But then... her sister appears. She ties up her hair, comforts Jules, and together they build the most amazing, awesome sandcastle ever. And then...

The ocean smashes it.

But this time, with her sister there, the experience is completely different. Tired and happy, the little family packs up in the car to go home.

Sima has a recognizable style, and yet it's different in every book. In this story, the blues and greens of the ocean contrast with the beige sand, while the girls' and their activities are set off with pink and purple accents. Big, bold pink letters flash across the pages as Jules yells her rage at the obstreperous ocean, and soft purple hues surround the sisters as they work together to rebuild.

This would make an excellent read-aloud. The time is just write and kids will empathize, even as they giggle along, with Jules' growing frustration. It's also a great story about resilience and working together and shows a kindness and cooperation between siblings that is a hallmark of Sima's work.

Verdict: Grab this one for storytimes themed around beaches, siblings, working together, and resilience. It's a great book to recommend to daycares and schools working with their kids on social-emotional skills as well. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9781534441682; Published June 2020 by Simon and Schuster; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library.