Ben and Sophie arrange seashells on flat driftwood counter on dry beach sand, Gran seated nearby as pretend customer, calm sea distant.

Ben’s Beach Café

Shared Reading Books · Stories · Year 1
Narrative

Ben and Sophie made a café on the beach. They put shells on a flat piece of driftwood. “These are our cakes,” said Ben. Gran came to be their first customer.

Sophie offers shell on empty plastic cup to Gran; Ben fills red bucket with sand; small gust blows loose sand across driftwood counter.

“One shell cake, please,” said Gran. Sophie used an empty cup to serve it. Ben began making a sand pie in his red bucket. Then a gust of wind blew sand across the counter.

Shells partly covered by blown sand on driftwood counter; Ben shelters counter with hands without success, Sophie looks thoughtful; Gran nearby.

The shells were nearly hidden. “Our café is too windy here,” said Sophie. Ben put his hands around the counter, but the sand still blew through the gaps.

Ben carries red bucket and Sophie carries yellow bucket and empty cups to sheltered dry sand beside dune; Gran accompanies; distant sea.

Gran looked behind them. “There is a sheltered place beside that dune,” she said. “We can stay on this dry, flat sand.” Ben and Sophie carried their buckets and cups over.

Children beside relocated flat driftwood counter in sheltered sand, Sophie brushes shells clean, Ben places moulded sand pie beside shells, Gran nearby.

They moved the driftwood together. Then Sophie brushed the sand off the shells. Ben put his sand pie beside them. The wind was softer in their new spot.

Ben draws simple shell and pie shapes in sand beside café; Sophie makes exactly three dots near shell drawing; Gran looks at picture menu.

“Our café needs a menu,” said Ben. He drew a shell and a pie in the sand. Sophie added three little dots to show three shell cakes. Gran read their picture menu.

Ben and Sophie offer pretend shell cake and sand pie on driftwood counter to smiling Gran; nobody eating or putting sand in mouth.

“A sand pie and a shell cake, please,” said Gran. Ben and Sophie served their pretend food. “No eating the sand!” laughed Ben. “We know,” said Sophie. “It is a game.”

Children and Gran tidy empty cups and red and yellow buckets into carry bag on dry sand; shells remain on beach beside driftwood; no litter.

When it was time to leave, they collected every cup and bucket. They left the shells on the beach. “Our café had a windy start,” said Sophie. “But a lovely finish,” said Ben.

Ben’s Beach Café

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