One White Wishing Stone: A Beach Day Counting Book Book

National Geographic Books present a delightful new title that is sure to become a children's summer classic.

Writer Doris Gayzagian and illustrator Kristina Swarner have collaborated to produce a magical, poetic counting book. A mother and child's day at the beach is brought to life in 32 beautifully illustrated pages of simple verse, capturing every child's delight in the natural joys of the seashore.

The young girl and her mother make their first footprints in the sand early on a summer morning. The child's mind is soon swept up in exploration and discovery as she eagerly counts all the newfound natural wonders of the seashore.

Each fresh page shines brightly with the magic sparkle of a child's summertime: from arriving and setting up a sun umbrella…to splashing around in a tide pool…to lovingly building a sandcastle decorated with seashells and feathers…to the return home and tucking into bed. In the evocative ebb and flow of words and pictures, the learning of names and the counting of beach creatures and the ocean's flotsam becomes a shared journey of discovery and joy for parents and young children.

Kristina Swarner's illustrations will transport young imaginations to the wonderland of sea, sand, and sun. Once there, young readers and listeners will learn to name this world through the comforting repetition and engaging simplicity of Doris Gayzagian's rhymes. This is the perfect summer book for children, and parents, who relish the delight of discovery and the endless fascination of long, hot days at the shore.

Children's Literature

Gayzagian has written a beautiful poem that has been illustrated by Kristina Swarner to make a charming beach counting book that will be enjoyed by both adults and children. The poem follows a young girl and her mother out for a day at the beach, including one of the favorite beach-goers' pastimes of gathering "beach things" such as shells, feathers, and starfish. This rhyming poetry book is simple but striking. The illustrations are beautifully done to create the feel of a time spent on the beach, giving the illusion of the sun, sand, and water, with the predominant colors of yellow, green, and blue. These are followed by the colorful lavenders of a sunset after a full day at the beach. The child's enjoyment of the time spent collecting and playing with her mother creates a celebration of joy that flows throughout the book.