Jules vs. the Ocean - by Jessie Sima (Hardcover)

About the Book

Determined to build "the biggest, fanciest, most excellent sandcastle" to impress her sister, Jules is foiled again and again by the ocean.

Book Synopsis

From the creator of Not Quite Narwhal comes a story about a young girl determined to impress her older sister by building elaborate sandcastles, even if that means standing up to the ocean and its smash-happy waves!

Jules is going to build the biggest, the fanciest, and the most excellent sandcastle. Her sister will be so impressed.

But the ocean has other plans.

Jules keeps building bigger, fancier, and more excellent castles, and waves keep smashing them.

And when the ocean takes her bucket, that is the final straw.

Jules is going to take a stand!

From beloved storyteller Jessie Sima comes the tongue-in-cheek story of the sand, the sea, and sisterhood--told with their signature warmth, timeless humor, and delightfully playful illustrations.

Review Quotes

"Sima (Spencer's New Pet) fills her pages with humor: the waves that initially take out Jules's castles look comically sinister, and when the girl loses her bucket, her prone, face-down expression of defeat is worthy of Charlie Brown. The forces of nature and impermanence may be beyond our control, but Sima finds the funny in it." - Publishers Weekly

"Readers and viewers alike will appreciate the simplicity of a day at the beach where the only worry is how to make a remarkable sandcastle." - BCCB

" In a twist that feels lifted from a Bob Graham story, "Mom assures them that happens to everyone." Sima's big-nosed cartoons are also reminiscent of Graham's, in both the character-developing detail (Jules' ears stick out through her bobbed haircut endearingly) and their obvious affection for one another. A sweet sisterhood seaside story." - Kirkus Reviews

"The clear, natural-sounding text reads aloud well, and large-type words and capitalization indicate which words to emphasize. In the digital artwork, the rounded lines and harmonious colors set a pleasing tone while depicting the characters expressively. This sunny picture book recreates a child's memorable encounter with nature." - Booklist

About the Author

Jessie Sima is the author and illustrator of bestselling picture books, including Not Quite Narwhal; Love, Z; Hardly Haunted; and more. They grew up in a small town in southern New Jersey and now write and draw in a creaky house in New York state. When not making books, Jessie can be found reading graphic novels, watching scary movies, and playing outside with dogs. You can visit them online at JessieSima.com.