Caterina and the Best Beach Day (Erin Eitter Kono, Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015)

Caterina did not disappoint this fan – she remained true to her character in this third book in the series, having planned and programmed a full day at the beach with her little brother, Leo. All that Leo wants to do is see a whale, but Caterina is too busy to help him look for one. Children will enjoy spotting the whales that Caterina misses and studying the mixed-media, collage-like illustrations. The message in this book will resonate with many busy parents; Leo’s expressions, changing from excited, to hopeful, to forlorn, served as a heart-tugging reminder to me to do less and ‘be’ more. Caterina is becoming a favourite picture book character in my house – I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book in this series!