When ten-year-old Alicia accompanies her brother and his girl friend to the beach, she experiences many things for the first time and gains new insights into herself. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Gr 3-5‘A dream of seeing the seashore comes true for Alicia Inez Ramos, 10, when she travels with her brother to visit his girlfriend's family for the weekend. Alicia describes the longed-for activities she now has an opportunity to experience‘swimming, surfing, picnicking on the sand, fishing, and watching the sunrise. Woven into the story are typical sibling disagreements that crop up between Alicia and her brother. The girl also discovers that fantasy expectations have a downside: sand in her food and tar on her bathing suit. This is a lively first-person narrative‘Bertrand keeps the story moving as quickly as the weekend passes for Alicia.‘Cheryl Cufari, N. A. Walbran Elementary School, Oriskany, NY From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 4-6. Ten-year-old Alicia Inez Ramos feels like she has waited her entire life to visit the beach and is determined to enjoy and treasure every experience no matter what her bossy big brother might do to spoil her trip. Alicia knows, however, that it is because of Sergio that she is going since she's been invited by her brother's girlfriend to join her family's annual summer vacation on the Gulf Coast. Over the weekend, Alicia discovers what it is like to see and swim in the ocean, build a sand castle, search for seashells, catch a fish, and more. And in being part of another family's vacation, she also discovers a fresh vision of herself, her own family, and her relationship with her brother. Alicia's account of her experience brims with the bracing flavors of the beach and the immediacy of each moment as it rolls in like a wave and breaks upon her. (Reviewed May 1, 1996)1558850856Annie Ayres From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.