Castles in the Sand

Author: Crockett Johnson
Illustrator: Betty Fraser
Publisher: Holt Rinehart & Winston
Publication Date: 1965
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Reading Level: Ages 7-8 years old
Brief Overview: Ben and Ann stumble upon a beach, where if you wrote words in the sand, that object would magically appear. Ben and Ann created a powerful story, but the ocean always has a high tide that reaches shore. This story emphasizes the power of imagination and that all good things must come to an end.

Integrated Activity: Take the kids outside. Place in groups of 3 or 4. Find the nearest sand spot and begin writing words on the sand. Make sure one student wrote their words onto a sheet of regular paper too. Then, ask the kids to share their “sand stories”. Then, come inside and write down sand stories onto a sandy paper to display with a beach theme.

Reviewer's Name and Affiliation: Kristen "Taylor" Sims - Valdosta State University