Sally Goes to the Beach by Stephen Huneck, Stephen Huneck (Illustrator)

From Barnes & Noble

Here's the perfect children's book to take to the beach, whether you're going there for real or just in your mind. Children will love the antics of Sally, a fun-loving and curious Labrador retriever, as she takes her own trip in Sally Goes to the Beach. This adventurous tale reveals the delights and dilemmas Sally encounters on her beach vacation, where most of the other travelers are dogs who look remarkably like Sally. The entire trip is experienced from a dog's point of view as Sally shares what she sees, tastes, hears, and smells in a way that dog lovers can appreciate -- "The air smells great, just like cat food!"

Not only will children learn to make use of all their senses and more fully appreciate the world around them, they will likely laugh at some of the silly predicaments Sally finds herself in, from the crab clinging to her nose to the starfish riding on her face. Then there's Sally's way of doing the dishes after dinner -- by simply licking the plates. Sally's journey is depicted in brightly colored woodcut prints done by the author, a talent for which he is internationally renown. Each illustration requires carving several blocks for each shape and color, and the end result is as unique as it is eye-catching. But most of all, it's Sally's wonderful sense of fun, her unbridled curiosity, and her contagious love of life that make this book a standout.

--Beth Amos

From the Publisher

Everyone loves a trip to the beach! Sally, a spirited black Labrador, sure does. When she arrives, she encounters new friends, new smells, new games, and, best of all, new adventures. Told from the dog's point of view and brought to life through charming and brightly colored woodcut prints, this endearing story of Sally's vacation is the perfect companion to a child's own trip to the beach or any new place.

Publishers Weekly

Understated humor infuses both the text and handsome woodcut prints in this painter and sculptor's debut children's book. Imparting a contemporary folk-art sensibility, Huneck's prints draw from a deep, sophisticated palette dominated by an appealing array of blues and greens. In short, staccato sentences, narrator Sally, a black Lab, chronicles her vacation to "an island in the ocean." Her dog's-eye commentary ranges from the mundane ("The sky is blue, and the sun is hot") to the droll (as when she observes, at the beach, that "the air smells great, just like cat food!"). Huneck knows how to juxtapose art and text for comic effect: on the ferry to the island, Sally cannot see the captain, "but I can imagine what he looks like"; the accompanying print shows a black Lab at a ship's wheel, wearing a sailor's cap and sunglasses. Later, the beachcombing dog is pictured with first a crab and then a starfish pinching her nose as she concedes, "I realize right away, I still have a lot to learn." Huneck slyly keeps Sally's human owner in the background, only revealing an appendage from time to time. Sally is front and center, and deservedly so--she's one endearing pooch. Ages 4-8. (May) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Sally, a black Labrador, narrates in very brief, simple sentences the challenge and apprehension she feels as the family takes a vacation trip to an island. With other dogs she plays in the ocean, encounters strange creatures, realizes she has a lot to learn, but faces the next day with excited anticipation. The text is printed; a sentence or two per page, in a typeface designed by Huneck. Above are the pictures, intensely colored woodcuts with the grain of the wood shown, equally devoid of complexity. Some are basically decorative, but others, like the final scene of Sally's face staring straight at us from between two feet under a blanket, convey both humor and Sally's self-satisfaction. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz—Children's Literature

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Sally, a spirited black Labrador retriever, goes on her first vacation at the beach. After a brief description of getting to the island by car and ferry, she is shown enjoying the company of her canine friends, but also having a good time playing and exploring on her own. Young readers will understand her sadness when this wonderful day comes to an end. The playful pup's enjoyment is conveyed through a simple but engaging text and beautiful, full-page woodblock prints. Sally is introduced on the first page in a portraitlike pose, with a winsome expression that is sure to capture the hearts of even non-dog lovers. Though the illustrations are controlled, they are not at all static. The short white lines that define the animal's coat convey energy and tension, and the curving lines of the ocean waves add motion to the scenes. The intriguing endpapers invite a close study of the patterns formed by the dogs swimming to and from the book's gutters. The font created by the artist suits the art and text perfectly. The clear black letters are just the right size for emergent readers. A splendid book for group or individual sharing.-Virginia Golodetz, Children's Literature New England, Burlington, VT Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

People Magazine

It's an ordinary day at the seashore for black Labrador Sally, but Huneck's bold-colored woodcuts make it well worth the trip.

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