The line in the sand /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Critically acclaimed creator Thao Lam, author of The Paper Boatand THAO, is back with a wordless story about conflict resolution

A monster meanders down a beach, dragging a stick behind them and leaving a line in the sand. Meanwhile, a group of friends is at play--flying kites, building sandcastles, tossing a ball--until two of them become curious about the line that now seemingly divides them.

What doesthe line mean? Tensions mount as the two ponder the situation. Should the line be crossed? Canit be crossed? Eyes narrow, feathers get ruffled, and a scuffle starts, stemming from a series of misunderstandings and aggravated by the innocent, and very untimely, arrival of a bee. It's only when their stomping and kicking has completely erased the line in the sand that the friends realize their scrabble was senseless. They rejoin the others at play, where the line becomes part of their games, while in the background, the line's creator continues to meander across the page, oblivious to the impact of their actions.

This powerful wordless story, told in panels and illustrated in striking collage art, is at once simple, relatable, and profound and will encourage readers to think about conflict, communication, and the meaning of the lines we all draw, whether intentional or not.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 3--This wordless picture book begins with a stick on the beach. A monster finds it and drags it along, leaving behind a line in the sand. Meanwhile, another group of monsters play, and when two among them, one on either side, notice the line, they become curious. Tension builds and emotions rise as the two engage. Just when those two seem more divided than ever, a bee sends the pair jumping through the sand and the line is erased. Without the arbitrary line separating them, they dissolve into laughter and join the other monsters at play. The concept is clever and the playful art a delight. The wordless format emphasizes how a lack of communication (or miscommunication) can contribute to conflict and leaves a lot of room for interpretation and discussion. The digital collage illustrations combine bold colors, prints, and patterns and give readers plenty of details to notice and visuals to explore--including the view of that very first monster continuing to draw lines with its stick in the background. VERDICT Another wordless winner from Lam, who knows how to posit questions and trust readers for answers. Recommended for all collections.--Lauren Strohecker

Booklist Review

A four-legged, seven-eyed friendly monster absentmindedly drags a stick behind it as it walks on a beach, creating a long and unbroken line in the sand. When two merry monsters notice the line--while other monsters continue blithely about their ball tossing and sandcastle building--they begin to test whether it can and should be crossed. A scuffle ensues that obliterates the line into dust, but when the dust clears, the mysterious line has meandered and grown around them, and they have a good laugh. Wordless picture books can be incredibly powerful, and the messaging in this story is clearly about camaraderie and understanding that transcends boundaries, either perceived or real. Told in a mix of full spreads and graphic-novel panels, the narrative and plot aren't as intelligible as they could be, and the conflict isn't entirely clear, but Lam (The Paper Boat, 2020) has created a delightful cast of beach monsters with millipede legs, googly eyes, webbed feet, cupcake sprinkle skin, and bison horns, so it is a visual treat regardless of the impact.

Kirkus Book Review

Divisions are as arbitrary as you want them to be. When an oblivious monster walks down the beach trailing a stick in one of their tentacles, they leave behind a line in the sand. It's a line that doesn't mean a lot to many of the other colorful monsters on the beach, but its existence suddenly divides a green, aquatic-looking monster hunting for shells and an orange monster with eyes attached to antennae. Their attempts to cross the line seem initially to be blocked; each takes umbrage at the other's behavior, and the literal line in the sand takes on metaphorical qualities. Their frustration leads to fighting, and the line deepens--until efforts to swat away a bee cause a sand-kicking tussle that ultimately removes the divide. With the line gone, the two monsters at last acknowledge their foolishness and share a laugh and a hug. Although it's told wordlessly, the story speaks volumes of imagined differences and the negative impact of imposed divisions. With the right guidance from savvy educators or caregivers, this one will be a valuable springboard for real-world conversations. The artwork uses bold pops of color and geometric designs to tell an elegant, profound story. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A monstrously important message. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.