To the Beach

by Thomas Docherty

Looking out of his window on a rainy day, one little boy imagines his way to the beach via plane, truck, boat, bicycle and even a friendly camel.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Summer, Juvenile, Adventure, Travel

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Thomas Docherty was born in New Zealand but has spent most of his life in England. He studied metalwork and sculpture and now has a collection of acclaimed picture books. Thomas has been short-listed for a variety of awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2009 for Little Boat.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau]

Fantastic book to read in the car as you head for the beach this summer!

[Abigail]

A young boy, all dressed up for the beach - with goggles and snorkel, bucket and shovel, flippers, and big yellow inner-tube all at the ready - stares out the window at the pouring rain. Some would be discouraged, but the boy knows that all he needs, in order to get to a sunny beach, is the right transportation. And so begins a fantastic journey of the imagination, as the boy finds himself taking a rather circuitous route to his destination...

A delightful summertime picture-book for the very young child, Thomas Docherty's To the Beach was originally published in the UK in 2007, and only released here in the United States this past April (2009). With a simple narrative that keeps the action moving forward, and whimsical watercolor illustrations that emphasize the exuberant fun of the story, this is sure to be a hit with young beach-goers everywhere!

[June]

This went over really well in story time. I had some older children come with younger siblings and they really got in to it. It is very simple, with limited text, and could probably be used with a toddler. Looking closely at the pictures the reader can catch clues about what will happen next. 6/26/13

Used again. 6/17/14

Huge hit again.

[Tasha]

The great spirit of this book captures the fresh feeling of a boy making his own world out of a rainy day. Some might think that a rainy day would not let you go to the beach, but that doesn’t slow him down at all. In fact, the day is even more fun-filled than it may have been without the rain. He has his swimsuit, goggles, snorkel, bucket, shovel, flippers, and inner tube. So he takes an airplane, sailboat, truck and camel to reach the sand and the sea. He plays at the beach and then heads back home. Taking a tanker, helicopter, bike and tractor. His next trip? Perhaps something out of this world?

Each illustrations captures the exuberance of this child’s imagination. Every new discovery is a joy, each mode of transportation an adventure. It is impossible to read this book without a grin and chuckle. The book will work well with small children, because of the ratio of illustration to words. Sometimes a page has just a few words on it. And children who enjoy trucks, tractors and other big kinds of transport will find a lot to love here.

A great start to a day of imagination or the end of one, this book is just right for playful 2-4 year olds.

[Amy Seto]

It’s a rainy day, but this little boy is ready to go to the beach. He’s got his goggles and snorkel, his flippers and bathing suit, his bucket and shovel, and of course, his big yellow inner tube. Looking out the window, he imagines what else he’d need to get to the beach. An airplane, a sailboat, a truck, a camel! After frolicking on the beach, he hops on a tanker, a helicopter, a bike, and a tractor and finally he’s home. But where will he go next?

The watercolor, pen, and ink illustrations are the focal point of this sundrenched book. Each mode of transportation takes the boy into a new landscape from the lush green jungle forests to the icy plains of Antarctica. The boy always travels left to right propelling the reader forward to each page turn. The illustrations also give clues to the reader about the next mode of transportation. The text is minimal. After the boy begins his journey, most pages simply state the name of the transportation he’s traveling on.

Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...

[Jamie]

In this story, a boy uses his imagination to tell the story of going to the beach. When he gets ready for the beach, he gets his goggles, his flippers, a bucket and his bathing suit. He then goes off on a trip on a camel through the sand and the ocean. Finally, he comes home and plans his next adventure.
The illustrations for this book are done in watercolor and ink. The pictures are cartoon-like illustrations. The background scenery in this book is very detailed. The ocean, sand and trees all have careful lines drawn in, adding texture, and sometimes a since of movement to the images.
This is a perfect book to use for a storytime about the beach or imaginations. Children will love the wild imagination the boy in the book has. Young children will also enjoy sitting with this book on their own, looking at the pictures and using their own imaginations.

[Paula]

But who cares about all that? It's the pictures. What does Thomas Docherty do really well? He does composition really well, with sweeping landscapes dominated by a large foreground element. His perspectives are exaggerated and poetic. He conveys gesture and movement with a sketchy, sculpted line that is never sloppy. And he loves color. And he loves the little boy in this book.

Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/200...

[Nielson]

Nothing will stop this little guy from going to the beach...not even a rainy day! Using his imagination, the boy travels with his camel friend to the beach using all kinds of transportation including a boat, a plane, a tanker, and a tractor! Using simple text, this book tells an imaginative story. The hand-drawn pictures are fantastic!

[Malckey P]

I liked the pictures in this book, but I think it's a little too advanced for me. Kind of like the song, "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." I like the sound of it, but I just don't understand what it's about. I'll come back to this one in a few years and see if I can figure out where the camel came from. Right now, I'm just puzzled by it.

[Miz Lizzie]

A little boy is already to go to the beach, only it's no where nearby so he takes various crazy modes of transportation to get there and back. A simple, fun story for toddlers and pre-schoolers that emphasizes travel and transportation.

[Katie Fitzgerald]

Read at Baby/Toddler Story Time on 6/7/11: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

Read at Drop-In Story Time on 6/11/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

[Ms. Jeane]

I got this book for my Beach Themed storytime and I really liked it but you would need a little bit older audience for storytime because they wouldn't understand the idea that he is using his imagination to get to the beach.

[Jeanne]

My nephew introduced me to this great book.

[Susan]

Children will enjoy his journey to and from the beach...a yes for H.

[Christine Turner]

Great book for storytime. Might work for toddlers.

[Danica Midlil]

For an amazing adventure, all he needs is his imagination, and a few other things...
Great book! I recommend reading this book a couple times to really appreciate all the details in the pictures.

[Miri]

I loved this. I went with four stars instead of five, but I really can't say why. Fantastic illustrations; they remind me of Marla Frazee's, who I also love.

[pati]

Thomas Docherty is right up there with Will Hillenbrand and Tony Fucilli as far as wonderfully, fun artist go! The art makes the story come alive! I look forward to other books by Thomas Docherty.

[Lenna]

I read this to my two-year-old and she loved it. I think that it would be appropriate and fun for any age though. The illustrations make the book.

[Monica]

With his goggles, snorkel, flippers, bucket, shovel and yellow tube this kid goes all over the place.

[Bailey Smith]

This book is good for beginning readers because there are very few words and lots of vivid images.

[Dominika]

Lovely illustrations. Imagination can take you anywhere...

[Jared White]

A little boy is determined to go to the beach but it is raining outside, so he'll have to go to a beach in a faraway land. How will he get there? By plane, boat, and more! Maybe he'll make a friend along the way as well.

Full of imagination, great pictures and simple text.

[Viviane Elbee]

For kids who love different types of vehicles and the beach, this is a great book. A little boy imagines a whole lot of different vehicles to get him to the beach and back - airplanes, sailboats, camels, tractors, bikes, tanker etc…

[Lynnette]

this was such a fun idea for a picture book! there aren't very many words on a page. but it shows how important our imagination is to rainy days. the illustrations are colorful, vibrant, but simple. really fun book.

[Garrett]

This kid PASSED UP A BEACH going to the beach.

[Kathleen]

A child's imagination...what a shame it gets squished in adulthood. This short book brings back a bit of those whimsical days, when you could do anything.

[Kathryn]

So fun

[Blair]

Simple words. Would be good for a level 1 reader. Wasn’t my kids favorite summer book though.

[Franci]

#85 of 2025