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Three by the Sea (Penguin Young Readers, Level 3) Paperback – Illustrated, May 1, 1994
Purchase options and add-ons
- Reading age6 - 8 years
- Print length48 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level1 - 3
- Lexile measure260L
- Dimensions9 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches
- PublisherPenguin Young Readers
- Publication dateMay 1, 1994
- ISBN-100140370048
- ISBN-13978-0140370041
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About the Author
James Marshall was born in San Antonio, Texas, and grew up 16 miles outside of the town on the family farm. He graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a degree in history and French. He is best known for his series on the mischievous exploits of Fox, a debonair, lazy showoff; the uproarious adventures of the two Cut-Ups, Spud and Joe; George and Martha; and the misadventures of the Stupid family. In 1989 he won a Caldecott Honor for Golidlocks and the Three Bears. He died in 1992.
Product details
- Publisher : Penguin Young Readers; Reissue edition (May 1, 1994)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 48 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0140370048
- ISBN-13 : 978-0140370041
- Reading age : 6 - 8 years
- Lexile measure : 260L
- Grade level : 1 - 3
- Item Weight : 3.99 ounces
- Dimensions : 9 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #323,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #640 in Children's Intermediate Readers
- #3,729 in Children's Beginner Readers
- #6,209 in Children's Friendship Books
- Customer Reviews:
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Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers enjoy the book's fun and humorous stories with writing prompts. They find it an easy read that adults can enjoy as well. The stories teach suspense and feature surprising twist endings.
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Customers enjoy the book. They find it fun and easy to read, with a writing prompt idea. It's one of their favorite kids' books by a favorite author. The story is great for kids who love the beach and for beginning readers.
"...A clever, funny, suspenseful tale. Finally, Spider gets his turn to tell a story...." Read more
"...This is one of my favorite kids' books, by one of my favorite kids' author/illustrators, the late, great James Marshall...." Read more
"...this to my niece in 2nd Grade, and she likes the challenge of learning to read this book. She likes the fun story and classic pictures...." Read more
"...If you animate your voice and the action in the story, kids absolutely love it!..." Read more
Customers enjoy the suspenseful story. They say it's a great book for storytelling to preschoolers up through 1st or 2nd grade. The story features funny and surprising twist endings that teach children about stories, plot, conflict, and suspense.
"...Her story is told in typical See-Jane-Run fashion. It contains neither plot, conflict, nor suspense. Sam and Spider don't like the story...." Read more
"...All three feature very funny and surprising twist endings...." Read more
"...She likes the fun story and classic pictures. This is a great story for kids who love the beach!" Read more
"Great book, super for storytelling to one or a small crowd of preschoolers up through age 7...." Read more
Reviews with images

A Cute, Sweet, Funny, & Absolutely ADORABLE Little Story! :)
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2012This early reader by Edward Marshall is perfect in every way. Three children -- Lolly, Sam, and Spider -- are having fun on the beach. They have just eaten lunch and want to go for a swim, but decide they shouldn't go swimming so soon after eating their hot dogs and lemonade. So, they tell stories. Lolly is first, and she tells a story about a dog, a cat, and a rat. Her story is told in typical See-Jane-Run fashion. It contains neither plot, conflict, nor suspense. Sam and Spider don't like the story.
Sam is the next to tell a story, but Lolly says his story must contain a cat and a rat. Sam's story starts with a reversal of expectations: a rat buys a cat for a pet. Everything about the story is suspenseful: in almost every frame, it appears that the cat is going to eat the rat. As it turns out, though, the cat has a secret favorite food that turns out to not be "rat." A clever, funny, suspenseful tale.
Finally, Spider gets his turn to tell a story. He incorporates the rat and the cat, but they are mere scenery: his tale concerns a monster who creeps along the seashore, looking for children to eat.
Superbly clever and well-written, and the book indirectly teaches children about stories, plot, conflict, and suspense. A Must Read!
- Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2000This is the story of Lolly, Spider and Sam, three kids who have just eaten lunch and have to wait a while before they can go swimming. To pass the time, they decide to tell each other stories about rats and cats.
The first story, Lolly's, is a dead-on parody of an old-style phonics reader:
'The cat sat by the rat. "I see him," said the cat. "I see the rat."
The rat saw the cat. "I see him," said the rat. "I see the cat." And that was that.'
Spider and Sam naturally hate this story, and they work to top each other with much more entertaining stories, always about cats and rats. This is one of my favorite kids' books, by one of my favorite kids' author/illustrators, the late, great James Marshall.
I think it's an overlooked classic -- even better than some of Marshall's more popular works (such as the "George and Martha" series), and right up there with his other masterpieces: "Miss Nelson Comes Back" (written with Harry Allard) and "Fox and His Friends". All three feature very funny and surprising twist endings.
If you find you like this book as much as I do, you'll want to check out its two sequels: "Four by the Shore" and "Three Up a Tree". Those are also highly enjoyable, but this one is the creme de la creme.
Parents: This is a book they will love, although you may love it more. School librarians: BUY THIS BOOK! Publisher: Please restore this to print in a library-binding edition!
- Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2023This was one of my favorite books when I was a child in 3rd Grade. I gifted this to my niece in 2nd Grade, and she likes the challenge of learning to read this book. She likes the fun story and classic pictures. This is a great story for kids who love the beach!
- Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2017Great book, super for storytelling to one or a small crowd of preschoolers up through age 7. If you animate your voice and the action in the story, kids absolutely love it! I used this book for years and years in my job at both public and school libraries. I never get tired of reading/telling it.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2018This is a cute story about friends telling their own versions of the same story. It’s great for kids that are beginning to learn to read. I think it’s best for those going into 1st or second grade.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2006Review For: Marshall, Edward: "Three By The Sea"
"Monsters really like kids. On toast!"
A lurking monster sneaks silently up upon three children -- two boys and one girl -- who, all unaware, sit telling stories to one another on the seashore.
Will the hapless Lolly, Spider, and Sam all be gobbled up, and munched by the Monster whose favorite meal is Kids-on-Toast?!?
Read the book, and find out! :)
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(NOTE: My one comp!aint is that the illustrations make the kids look way too fat; but this is just a minor quibble.)
5.0 out of 5 starsReview For: Marshall, Edward: "Three By The Sea"A Cute, Sweet, Funny, & Absolutely ADORABLE Little Story! :)
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2006
"Monsters really like kids. On toast!"
A lurking monster sneaks silently up upon three children -- two boys and one girl -- who, all unaware, sit telling stories to one another on the seashore.
Will the hapless Lolly, Spider, and Sam all be gobbled up, and munched by the Monster whose favorite meal is Kids-on-Toast?!?
Read the book, and find out! :)
-----
(NOTE: My one comp!aint is that the illustrations make the kids look way too fat; but this is just a minor quibble.)
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2016A classic. My 5th graders love it as much as my 3rd graders. I have my own students write a better story with these parameters: it must contain a cat, a rat and be better than Lolly's story. FUN!
- Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2014Bought this book as a gift--I remember hours of enjoyment sharing this series with my son when he was young. What's nice is that it's a book that adults can enjoy too, so we don't mind reading it over and over and over... :)
Top reviews from other countries
- Julie CoutuReviewed in Canada on February 19, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read with kids
James Marshall's books are such a delight to read. This one has stories embedded within the story (each character takes a turn telling a story) and was very enjoyable!
- Jane LangdonReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Needed for assessment.