Bebé Goes to the Beach
By Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Steven Salerno
Harcourt Children's Books; $16.00
40 pp.; ISBN-13: 978-0323048385

Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews

In this charming tale of a baby's day at the beach with his mother, Bebé Goes to the Beach tells a tale of play and discovery that's educational as well as enjoyable, with prose that's a mix of Spanish and English. Arriving at the beach, mom tries to settle in for a relaxing day at the shore, except Bebé has other ideas, ideas that keep poor mom on her toes (and will keep young readers entertained). Bebé takes off to tickle his toes in the waves; he enjoys mom's picnic lunch of bread, fruit, and cheese; he runs after a ball; aims to eat some algae; digs in the sand; and explores sand sculptures until warned away by a well-meaning artist. Mom is constantly on the run, keeping pace measure for measure with her busy baby, until a sleepy Bebé with a tummy full of ice cream means mom can finally relax and enjoy her day at the beach.

Susan Middleton Elya's energetic story reflects the enthusiasm and eagerness of a young baby on the beach, excited to explore new sights, tastes, and smells, under the watchful eye of his diligent mother. Middleton Elya's text is liberally sprinkled with Spanish, and a handy glossary at the end of the story helps with pronunciation and meaning, although in many cases, the word substitution is clear. For example, "The rolling white olas are foamy and loud. Bebé waddles after them, right through the cloud." The rhyming prose is natural, as is basic Spanish in the text.

Steven Salerno's artwork is bright and colorful, appropriately reflective of the beach theme with deep blue waves, sunny yellow skies, and a rosy-cheeked and round-faced baby wearing a wide-brimmed hat. The synthesis of colored pencil, gouache, watercolor and colored ink has a retro-feel to it, cheerfully depicting a happy bebé and equally-happy, ever-smiling mamá. Salerno's pictures also carefully illustrate the Spanish-language words included in the text. Pictures of bread, fruit, and cheese are paired with pan, fruta, and queso; as Mamá is shown leaning back on her beach chair, feet up and arms behind her head, she declares, "descansaré," meaning "I will rest."

A summery follow up book to Susan Middleton Elya's award-winning Bebé Goes to Shopping, Bebé Goes to the Beach is another seamless introduction to Spanish for young readers and their parents.