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Welcome to Week 4 of our Summer Book Club

Changing Tides - Week 4 of the Summer Book Club

For the 4th week of Book Club, we are exploring the changing tides and the tides that shift within families with a very special book called, you guessed it, Changing Tides! Written and illustrated by Julie Mascardo, this poignant book explores the challenges and ultimate joys of adapting to a blended family. This sweet book is also a celebration of summer and family trips to the beach.

Lula isn't sure what to think when Theo and his mother join her family but as they head out for their first beach vacation together, the new siblings create a sandcastle and slowly learn to trust each other. But just like the changing tides, their sandcastle and their brand new relationship have to adapt to the weather and the changes of life when things don't go as expected.

Day 1: Read and Discuss

On the first day of the book club, settle in, cozy up, and read the book with your children out loud. Take time as you turn each page to look closely at the lovely illustrations created by Julie Mascardo and the special way she illustrates the different people in the story.

After reading, discuss the story together. Ask your children if they have any questions or if there are special things they noticed, and encourage them to share all the things that caught their attention about this story. Taking time to discuss and explore the story allows the reading to sink in more deeply and helps your children remember more details.

We've created some discussion topics and questions you can explore for a starting point:

One thing that is really interesting to notice throughout the book is how the ocean changes throughout the book as related to the weather and the tides. Maybe you have been to the beach together and can talk about how the ocean changed during your beach day. Perhaps you can research how tides work.
Talk about the best sand castles you have ever made. What makes a really good sand castle?
Perhaps your family has had changes like Lula and Theo’s or you know friends whose families have grown in new ways. Talk about ways those changes felt and how you adapted to the new changes.
Julie Moscado writes about this story that “The weather itself plays an important role in this story as it is the unpredictable element that Lula and Theo will have to learn to navigate and accept together.” Have you ever had a day that changed because of the weather? Maybe it was a school picnic that had to be moved inside or a day to the beach that had to be postponed because of rain. Talk about a time that didn't quite go the way you expected, either because the weather changed, different people showed up, or plans changed.

Day 2: Writing and Drawing Prompt

The second day of book club is all about revisiting the story and re-seeing it using a creative lens. We've shared a few ideas for drawing and writing prompts that extend the story and allow your children to dive more deeply into the themes. A great way for children to retell the story is through play.

They can even create a small theater with a playsilk curtain to perform their story narration. If they are excited to write and draw, set up a space for them with pencils, crayons and paper all easily accessible and add the book to the space for them to look through for ideas.

Writing & Drawing Prompt

For this book, we created the following prompt to spark their drawing and writing adventures. Draw an outline of a sand castle and imagine that you live there. Fill in all the different rooms and add furniture and whatever special touches you imagine would be in your sand castle by the sea. Once you have fully imagined your castle, create a story about the characters who live there and what a day in their life would be like.

Day 3: Make A Beach-Inspired Picture Frame

Inspired by the ocean themes in Changing Tides, this simple craft invites young readers to bring a bit of the beach home. Using gathered seashells and a favorite photo or drawing, children can create a one-of-a-kind picture frame that celebrates summer memories.

A picture frame with seashells craft for kids.

Materials Needed

Seashells or stones
Frame
Glue gun

Instructions

Step 1:

Go to the beach and see what shells and fun goodies you can find! Not near the beach? Go on a nature walk and see what treasures you can find to decorate your frame how you want.