Chu's Day at the Beach by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Adam Rex

“When Chu sneezed, big things happened.” Chu is a little panda bear whose sneezes are larger than life, and cause big problems! In Chu’s Day at the Beach, Chu and his parents go to the beach, where everything starts off perfectly. The ice cream seller (an orange octopus with a bowtie and sunglasses) gives Chu an extra scoop of vanilla. But as soon as Chu takes off his sunglasses, his nose tickles, and sneezing is inevitable.  Chu’s sneeze is so big that he parts the sea in two! When a baby whale is separated from its parent on the other side of the sea, the people at the beach try to get Chu to sneeze with feathers and bubbly soda, but nothing works.

“All of the grown-ups were very sad. ‘Chu will not sneeze,’ they said. ‘Now the sea is broken and we cannot fix it.”

Neil Gaiman might be known for his books for older children and adults, but his stories of Chu the little panda who sneezes is absolutely delightful. Adam Rex’s illustrations capture Chu and the characters at the beach in such detail that each time reading uncovers a new character or illustration detail. In bright blues, yellows, and reds, this is the perfect read for the summer, and since it is now available in a board book format, a great handheld size for ages 0 to 3. Will Chu ever put the sea back together? Grab this board book and find out!

"It was a hot day, and Chu and his family went to the beach."