Down Under the Pier – let’s explore!

Isn’t it wonderful when you find a book that you feel personally connected to? I was born in Santa Monica, near the ocean and the famous pier. I was so excited to open DOWN UNDER THE PIER and return to my childhood days filled with sand and salt air breezes.

 

DOWN UNDER THE PIER
by Nell Cross Beckerman (author) and Rachel Sumpter (illustrator)
Cameron Kids 2020
32-page picture book for children ages to and beach loving adults
Fiction with nonfiction backmatter
Setting: An ocean pier
Themes: intertidal zone, nature exploration

 

 

The story begins…

Up on the pier,
we ride the giant Ferris wheel,
we scream on the roller coaster,
we gobble clouds of cotton candy.

Wood planks creak as we walk in the sun.

On top of the pier children can enjoy a variety of exciting activities including rides, carnival games, and food. But the real fun begins when the children walk down the stairs during the low tide to play beneath the pier. They experience a world where senses come alive with sea spray, squishy sand, crashing waves, and creatures clinging to the pilings. They play their own games – hide and seek, tug-of-war, and treasure hunting. Best of all it is free.

 

 

Why you need to add DOWN UNDER THE PIER to your book collection:

• The poetic and lyrical language perfectly capture both the fast-paced excitement on the pier as well as the mysterious beauty of the intertidal zone.
• Told in first person plural point of view, the sense of wonder is evident as the children make fascinating discoveries.
• The luminescent illustrations glow like jewels on the pages showing a diverse group of children exploring a magical world making this an exceptionally beautiful book.
• Kelp! Many people have never experienced the rubbery texture of kelp and the joy of stomping on poppers – one of my favorite childhood pastimes (I still can’t walk on a California beach without stomping on at least one).
• Included backmatter shows a number of the most common intertidal animals and explains how they help each other survive.
• A portion of the proceeds of the book goes to help fund the Heal the Bay Aquarium.

 

Here’s a photo of Author Nell Cross Beckerman holding a copy of her stunning book illustrated by Rachell Sumpter. Learn more about them by visiting their websites. (Click on their names)