Beach Holiday by Yvette Poshoglian

Ella & Olivia series. Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Scholastic Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781743620540
Recommended for 5-6 year old girls. Ella and Olivia are sisters and best friends. Ella is seven years old and Olivia is five-and-a-half years old, they live with their mum, dad, brother Max and puppy Bob. The girls are really excited they are going to stay at Nanna and Grandad's beach house for a holiday. It's a favourite and familiar place, they can't wait! Their grandparents arrive in their yellow and white Kombi van and the girls and Max are soon on their way.
Their day at the beach is filled with fun, swimming, watching the iron women competing and sharing lunch under the big umbrella. Ella and Olivia follow the safety rules by swimming between the flags. After lunch Nanna trusts them to visit the rock pools by themselves, however, they become separated on the way back. Of course, they find each other and the family just in time to make a giant sand castle. Responsibility and beach safety are themes in this junior novel.
Yvette Poshoglian's popular series, Ella & Olivia continues to engage young girls who are beginning to read chapter books. They are written in a simple style with relatable characters. The extremely large font and line drawings add to the fun of the story.
Rhyllis Bignell