At the Bach

Author: Joy Cowley and Hilary Jean Tapper

"This book catches the out-of-time feeling of a proper summer holiday at the beach—salt and sea, treasures under the pillow, and off to sleep in 50 perfectly chosen words."Rachel Lawson, Publisher

An evocative bedtime picture book that distils the essence of a family summer at the bach.

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Summary

"This book catches the out-of-time feeling of a proper summer holiday at the beach—salt and sea, treasures under the pillow, and off to sleep in 50 perfectly chosen words."Rachel Lawson, Publisher

An evocative bedtime picture book that distils the essence of a family summer at the bach.

Description

An evocative and beautiful bedtime picture book about summer days spent at the beach by internationally renowned author, Joy Cowley.

Summer holidays by the sea have a rhythm all their own. With a few resonant images Cowley takes us straight to the end of a long hot day with beach treasures under the pillow and the salty smell of the sea. The cadence of the final words echoes the shushing waves in a gentle signal of time for readers to sleep—“good day, good sea, good sand, good night”.

This simple poem by internationally renowned Joy Cowley transports the reader to a childhood summer with language that asks to be read over and over. Hilary Jean Tapper’s warm watercolour and ink illustrations add an inclusive cast of extended family, friends and children of different ages.

This title is a special New Zealand edition using the original poem title At the Bach. The international edition is published as Good Night, Good Beach.

Critic Reviews

"One you will read so often, you’ll know it off by heart and your kids will start joining in."

-- The Sapling, New Zealand

"A simple but powerful book that captures the joy of childhood and is a story families will treasure."

-- Books + Publishing, Australia

"This book is full of the warmth of friends and family, the basics of the beach and the joy of a simple holiday home."

-- National Library of New Zealand, Best Children's Books of 2023

"An ideal bedtime story, where every word counts."

-- Magpies magazine, New Zealand

"A charming combo that could be become a classic for yet another generation of Cowley fans."

-- The Listener, 50 Best Kids' Books of 2023

"Beautifully illustrated. A lovely gift for a preschool child."

-- Joan McKenzie, Whitcoulls Head of Books

About the Author

Joy Cowley is one of New Zealand’s best-loved writers for children and adults, with an international reputation. She has won a multitude of awards and honours for her bestselling books, including the Prime Minister's Award for contribution to literature. She was shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2018.

Hilary Jean Tapper is an illustrator and creative arts therapist. Her picture books include What To Say When You Don’t Know What to Say (by Davina Bell), ABIA Children's Picture Book of the Year, 2023.