Fun in the Sun

Fun in the Sun written and illustrated by David Catrow (2015)

I’m not sure what this little character is, but he looks like a french bulldog to me.

This funny little book about this little bulldog’s day at the beach.  With few words, you really have to pay attention to the illustrations to appreciate the whole story. He starts by getting ready and boarding the bus to the beach with his pet goldfish and an assortment of other characters which will show up on subsequent pages. After finding just the right spot, he eats lunch and goes into into the water. In a big wave, an octopus joins his goldfish in the bowl. The octopus becomes a central character who is helpful in retrieving towels, flying a kite, a snagging a runaway hat. Soon all the characters are flying kites and/or hats in the ocean breeze. At the end of the day, everyone takes the bus back home. Even the octopus comes home with goldfish. And it seems that the only thing the white little bulldog forgot was his sunblock (see illustration for final laugh)!

You don’t have to live near the beach to have fun with kites, but it sure helps if you do!

Help your kiddos make their own kites and use the spring breezes to fly them in your own park or backyard.

Here are some easy ones to make at home.

Is your little one still learning the alphabet? 

Did you like the goldfish in the story? You could make a cute toilet paper tube kite like this one.

This is an easy paper bag kite.

And don’t forget the math aspect of kites… you can work on patterns and symmetry with your child, while still having fun making and decorating a kite!