A Day at the Beach by Gary D. Schmidt, Ron Koertge
Published by Clarion Books on April 1, 2025
ISBN: 0063380927
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

A Day at the Beach is a snapshot of one summer day at a Jersey Shore beach.  Each chapter introduces readers to a new character or group of characters, all middle school age youth.  These kids are dealing with things readers will no doubt relate to: self-esteem, strained family relationships, and obsession with devices, to name a few.  While the connection for these characters is their presence at this particular beach on this particular day, there is no major plot line that brings them together, though occasionally there is some overlap of characters.  Instead, the message is to be present on this summer day, have fun, be creative, and don’t worry about pressures you may face.  Middle grade readers who are plot driven and like a lot of action won’t be drawn to this book, but readers who like getting to know new characters and who crave a summer read will enjoy this book.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library