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September 2026 - A Day at the Beach
By Kristen · 9 posts · 85 views
By Kristen · 9 posts · 85 views
last updated Oct 30, 2025 11:22AM
What Members Thought
Richie’s Picks: A DAY AT THE BEACH by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge, HarperCollins/Clarion, April 2025, 224p., ISBN: 978-0-06-338092-9
“This summer I went swimming
This summer I might have drowned
But I held my breath and I kicked my feet
And I moved my arms around
I moved my arms around”
– Loudon Wainwright III “The Swimming Song” (1973)
“Tobias Jackson sprawled on the blanket.
He didn’t care if he got sand all over himself.
He didn’t care that the morning sun would soon start turning him pink.
He wa ...more
“This summer I went swimming
This summer I might have drowned
But I held my breath and I kicked my feet
And I moved my arms around
I moved my arms around”
– Loudon Wainwright III “The Swimming Song” (1973)
“Tobias Jackson sprawled on the blanket.
He didn’t care if he got sand all over himself.
He didn’t care that the morning sun would soon start turning him pink.
He wa ...more
Oct 30, 2025
Beverly
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
jf-nature-outdoors
I enjoyed listening to the many different stories of many different children and teens on the same beach on the same day. I also liked the way some of the stories intersected with each other. I especially liked the ending of one story for one individual. Middle grade students who like short stories will probably enjoy this book as well.
Clever. Unusual plot structure. Great for budding creative writers to read for inspiration. Poignant. Funny. Goofy. Fully captures the mixed up emotions of those early teenage years. For older middle grade readers. 10+ A day at the beach, morning to night, very similar to my own growing up. Although, now I can appreciate so much better that everyone on that beach has a story that’s interesting and matters.
Every chapter is another kid’s story of their time at the beach. I expected more from Gary Schmidt, as it’s not a cohesive story. Some kids I cared about and others I did not.
This was a miss for me even though I enjoyed both authors' books in the past. The stories were often too short for me to connect with any particular one.
...more
4.5 stars
This is a thoroughly enjoyable short story collection that will entertain and build empathy at the same time. Highly recommended!
This is a thoroughly enjoyable short story collection that will entertain and build empathy at the same time. Highly recommended!
Apr 25, 2025
Morgan
marked it as dnf
I couldn't get past the fatphobia near the beginning.
I expect better from Schmidt. ...more
I expect better from Schmidt. ...more
This was an original idea. The beach is the main character. It’s an intersection of many lives that are all at the beach on the same day.
Oct 26, 2024
J.j.
marked it as to-read
Feb 17, 2025
Brandi
marked it as to-read
Feb 22, 2025
Jan
marked it as to-read
Mar 03, 2025
DaNae
marked it as to-read
Jun 08, 2025
Ellen
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
kid-seasonal,
audiobook,
realistic-fiction,
funny,
grief,
family,
short-stories-and-vignettes
Apr 13, 2025
Shauna Yusko
marked it as to-read
Apr 13, 2025
Dan
marked it as to-read
Jul 30, 2025
Julie Williams
added it
Aug 28, 2025
alisonwonderland (Alison)
marked it as to-read
Aug 29, 2025
Leslie
marked it as to-read
Sep 03, 2025
Lori
marked it as to-read
