Summer is here and it’s time for sun, fun and a day at the beach. Get your kids ready for that special day with these fabulous beach picture books. From sandcastles, magic waves, frisky crabs, and Mexican bands the beach is full of adventure and it can all be found in the pages of these excellent picture books.

As the Sun Rises, Morning in Mazatlan by Carolyn Watson Dubisch

Released just this year in time for summer, this book tells the tale of Juan and Maria spending the day with their Papa on the beach in Mazatlån, Mexico. They search for clams, chase crabs and dance to the music of the “Banda bands”. The illustrations are beautiful and bring you all the way to Mexico.

A Beach Day with Summer the Dog by Margaret M. Eberle, Illustrated by Jitumoni Goswami

Going to the beach is great but going to the beach with your dog is a blast! Ben brings his dog, Summer to the beach where they play ball, build a sandcastle and even go in a kayak. The art is skillfully done and expressive, and this is the perfect beach book for kids who have a pet.

The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow, Illustrated by Wendall Minor

The lyrical text and masterful art by Wendall Minor make this book a treasure. A little boy who lives far from the sea wonders what it’s like to go to the beach. With his mother’s helpful descriptions, he runs on the shore and discovers oyster shells, and gulls overhead and crabs and waves. It’s truly a stunning book.

The Sandcastle That Lola Built by Megan Maynor, Illustrated by Kate Berube

 Read along as Lola makes new friends at the beach while building a massive sandcastle to beckon the mermaids to the shore. Full of gentle humor the illustrations are a perfect fit with the text that is written with the style of “The House that Jack Built”. This book will have your kids raring to get to the beach to build their own mermaid sandcastle!

A New Day for Cray (The Adventures of Cray on the Bay) by G Pa Rhymes, Illustrated by Erica Leigh

The story of a very frisky little crab who drives his friends on the beach crazy with his pinching habit. Until a tragic accident changes his life. The illustrations by Erica Leigh are just beautiful and carry the story in such a charming way. The rhyming text will make every little one demand this story at bedtime.

Magic Beach by Alison Lester

This charming book, told in verse from Australian author/ illustrator, will whisk you off to the magic beach with vast invincible sandcastles and undersea kingdoms lurking in tide pools. The illustrations are detailed watercolors that are just stunning. You just have to love a book that sparks the imagination the way this one does. It’s an award-winning book and a classic story every kid should have on their bookshelf.

Beach days can be a challenge for parents but with the right preparation and the perfect books to gear them up they can be part of some cherished childhood memories for the whole family. Don’t forget the sunscreen and get ready for that amazing beach vacation!