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The Legend of the Sand Dollar: An Inspirational Story of Hope for Easter
Eight-year-old Kerry loves the ocean. But on this visit to the beach, she discovers a little-known treasure and learns of the story of Easter revealed in the sand dollar. Now you and your child can discover the story behind this small ocean treasure as stunning illustrations form the backdrop for this familiar seaside legend. Seen through the eyes of children, The Legend of the Sand Dollar shares the timeless hope of resurrection and new life—the promise of Easter.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2005
About the author
Chris Auer
17 booksChris Auer of Savannah, GA, is a seasoned screenwriter and adapted The Legend of the Candy Cane for video. He has numerous scriptwriting credits, including More True Stories from Touched by an Angel with CBS. He was the creator-executive producer for the half-hour series Big Brother Jake from 1990 to 1994 and also worked for NBC's The Cosby Show.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 26, 2018
It's based off of a poem written by an unknown author - which is including in the back and I thought nice. The pictures were nice but the story's execution I thought could have been better.
Ages: 4 - 9
#easter #christian
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
Ages: 4 - 9
#easter #christian
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
November 12, 2020
The Legend of the Sand Dollar is a cute picture book to teach children about Easter, or Resurrection Sunday. Eight-year-old Kerry and her cousin Jack learn about the legend of the sand dollar as they spend Easter weekend together. According to the legend, each part of a sand dollar tells a part of Jesus’ story, from the shape of the flower on the top to the holes in the middle to the doves on the inside.
The Legend of the Sand Dollar was illustrated by Richard Cowdrey and written by Chris Auer, the third in a collection of children’s picture books about the symbolism behind traditional holiday objects (the candy can and Easter egg). This book is based off of an old poem from residents of the North American oceanic coastlines. The last page of the book contains the poem as well as educational information about sand dollars, so that young readers can learn about the animals’ biology as well as their Christian symbolism.
The book is intended for children ages four and older. The main character is eight years old, and readers around her age may be able to work on their reading skills with the simplified language in The Legend of the Sand Dollar. Readers of all ages can appreciate the symbolism of the story and, perhaps, share it with others as Kerry did with her sister. I know I will remember it every time I see a sand dollar from now on.
The illustrations are lovely. I adore the beautiful beach scenes and blends of blue in the sky and the ocean. The shells and the characters are intricately painted and so pretty. Richard Cowdrey is a talented artist.
The Legend of the Sand Dollar is a lovely children’s book with a great message. I recommend it to Christian families and churches as a memorable way to teach children about the Easter story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Z Blog Squad from Zonderkidz. All opinions are expressly my own.
The Legend of the Sand Dollar was illustrated by Richard Cowdrey and written by Chris Auer, the third in a collection of children’s picture books about the symbolism behind traditional holiday objects (the candy can and Easter egg). This book is based off of an old poem from residents of the North American oceanic coastlines. The last page of the book contains the poem as well as educational information about sand dollars, so that young readers can learn about the animals’ biology as well as their Christian symbolism.
The book is intended for children ages four and older. The main character is eight years old, and readers around her age may be able to work on their reading skills with the simplified language in The Legend of the Sand Dollar. Readers of all ages can appreciate the symbolism of the story and, perhaps, share it with others as Kerry did with her sister. I know I will remember it every time I see a sand dollar from now on.
The illustrations are lovely. I adore the beautiful beach scenes and blends of blue in the sky and the ocean. The shells and the characters are intricately painted and so pretty. Richard Cowdrey is a talented artist.
The Legend of the Sand Dollar is a lovely children’s book with a great message. I recommend it to Christian families and churches as a memorable way to teach children about the Easter story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Z Blog Squad from Zonderkidz. All opinions are expressly my own.
April 6, 2017
If you don't already own the original book this updated version is definitely worth purchasing. Our family has enjoyed the original Legend of the Sand Dollar for years now. The story centers around Kerry and her cousin Jack. Kerry and her sister are going to their aunt's house for Easter. Kerry is a bit sad that her parents aren't traveling with them but is determined to have a good time with her cousin until her parents arrive later.
Cousin Jack takes Kerry out on his boat and they visit a small island where they discover sand dollars that have washed ashore. Jack tells Kerry a clever story about the sand dollar that points to Christ. It is a story that I think your young children will find interesting especially if you happen to have access to a real sand dollar. The back of the book has a message about sand dollars and a classic poem from an unknown author that inspired this book.
This book would make a great addition to an older child's Easter basket. The new illustrations by Richard Cowdrey are stunning and are sure to capture the attention and imagination of your children.
I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.
Cousin Jack takes Kerry out on his boat and they visit a small island where they discover sand dollars that have washed ashore. Jack tells Kerry a clever story about the sand dollar that points to Christ. It is a story that I think your young children will find interesting especially if you happen to have access to a real sand dollar. The back of the book has a message about sand dollars and a classic poem from an unknown author that inspired this book.
This book would make a great addition to an older child's Easter basket. The new illustrations by Richard Cowdrey are stunning and are sure to capture the attention and imagination of your children.
I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.
September 3, 2018
I learned something new today- I had not heard this legend before. Great story well illustrated, but most appropriate for young children reading with families at home or within church settings.
March 13, 2017
First, the disclaimer. "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own." That done, THE LEGEND OF THE SAND DOLLAR is a beautifully illustrated story about a girl who went to visit her cousin Jack without her parents. And while she was there, Cousin Jack took her out on his boat to an island where she found a sand dollar and illustrated how it depicts the Savior's birth, death, and more with the designs on it and the shapes that come when it is broken. A sweet story that parents or grandparents will enjoy reading to their favorite children. Perfect for the Easter season or anytime.
March 17, 2017
Disclaimer: I received this Book from the publisher, Zonderkidz for free to read and review. I was not required to give a favorable review only an honest review. All thoughts and comments in this review are my own.
Eight-year-old Kerry loves the ocean, and every few years she along with her parents and sister, Margaret go to visit Aunt Jane and Cousin Jack who live near the beach.
This year Margaret and Kerry were going alone, which made Kerry very sad. Cousin Jack and Kerry took the boat to the beach where they found a sand dollar. Jack patiently answered all of Kerry’s questions and then explained that even though the sand dollar isn’t real money, it still has value because it tells the greatest story of all—it tells the story of Jesus’ birth and the Easter story.
Once you read this story to your children they will never look at a sand dollar without remember this story.
The illustrations are so vivid and beautiful they are sure to keep even the youngest child turning the pages.
This is a hard-cover book with a beautifully illustrated dust jacket. This is a great bed-time story and would make a great gift for the Easter season.
Eight-year-old Kerry loves the ocean, and every few years she along with her parents and sister, Margaret go to visit Aunt Jane and Cousin Jack who live near the beach.
This year Margaret and Kerry were going alone, which made Kerry very sad. Cousin Jack and Kerry took the boat to the beach where they found a sand dollar. Jack patiently answered all of Kerry’s questions and then explained that even though the sand dollar isn’t real money, it still has value because it tells the greatest story of all—it tells the story of Jesus’ birth and the Easter story.
Once you read this story to your children they will never look at a sand dollar without remember this story.
The illustrations are so vivid and beautiful they are sure to keep even the youngest child turning the pages.
This is a hard-cover book with a beautifully illustrated dust jacket. This is a great bed-time story and would make a great gift for the Easter season.
April 1, 2024
I was intrigued to pick this up because I love sand dollars and was curious. I'm sure the story would be better received by someone churchy. Regardless, it's still lovely, and the illustrations are wonderful.
March 30, 2021
A delightful Easter story to share with children of all ages. I love that it uses a sand dollar to tell the story of Christ's birth, death, & resurrection.
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October 14, 2023***Note to self: Owned as part of the Legends of Easter Treasury***
March 20, 2017
Received and ARC of this lovely book from ZondervanKidz in exchange for an honest review. It's a gorgeous picture book and a sweet way to inspire important faith discussion with my young children at Easter time. Would made a wonderful addition to a child's Easter basket!
February 25, 2017
Kerry and her sister Margaret are going to visit their Aunt Jane's house by the ocean. Kerry goes exploring the beach with cousin Jack and finds a sand dollar, and Jack shares with her The Legend of the Sand Dollar.
Beautifully illustrated, this book is beautiful and perfect for Easter. Jack uses the sand dollar to share the gospel with Kerry, telling of the great gift, sacrifice, and the hope that we now have.
Bound in a hardcover with a jacket, this is a lovely book, What I loved most about it is that it encourages the sharing of the gospel with others, and appreciates how creation points to the Creator. A lovely book, and highly enjoyable, perfect to share with the young ones in your life.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."
Beautifully illustrated, this book is beautiful and perfect for Easter. Jack uses the sand dollar to share the gospel with Kerry, telling of the great gift, sacrifice, and the hope that we now have.
Bound in a hardcover with a jacket, this is a lovely book, What I loved most about it is that it encourages the sharing of the gospel with others, and appreciates how creation points to the Creator. A lovely book, and highly enjoyable, perfect to share with the young ones in your life.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."
February 26, 2017
I received a complimentary copy.
I have heard about the sand dollar before in my youth. I did forget all about it and now being able to share this story with my family was a huge treat. The illustrations are neat and colorful. The message for Easter is going to make this a must have book for the upcoming holiday. You will never think of a sand dollar the same way again.
I have heard about the sand dollar before in my youth. I did forget all about it and now being able to share this story with my family was a huge treat. The illustrations are neat and colorful. The message for Easter is going to make this a must have book for the upcoming holiday. You will never think of a sand dollar the same way again.
May 28, 2010
Auer, Chris. The Legend of the Sand Dollar. Grand Rapids, MI: Zonderkidz, 2005.
Genre - Fiction - Christianity
The Legend of the Sand Dollar is a simple story about a girl named Kerry who goes to her relatives two days before Easter and misses her parents. While away she travels to an island with her cousin Jack where she finds a sand dollar. Kerry had never seen a sand dollar so her cousin explained what it was, how it got there, and how it tells the tale of how Christ's birth and how he Sacrificed his life for us. After Kerry is feeling a little better about missing her parents, Jack explains that in reality they are not that far away from each other using an example of how the moon is connected to the tide to explain his point.
The book has very soft illustrations which make reading it a very relaxing anti stress read. The story can be good for explaining how God is in everything. This book would be better if read after Christianity has been explained to a child since it doesn't mention the exact story, more so a reference to Christ. This story doesn't have too much of a rising plot its mainly a flatter story. This story can still be a good bed time story for a child around 3 to 4 years of age.
Genre - Fiction - Christianity
The Legend of the Sand Dollar is a simple story about a girl named Kerry who goes to her relatives two days before Easter and misses her parents. While away she travels to an island with her cousin Jack where she finds a sand dollar. Kerry had never seen a sand dollar so her cousin explained what it was, how it got there, and how it tells the tale of how Christ's birth and how he Sacrificed his life for us. After Kerry is feeling a little better about missing her parents, Jack explains that in reality they are not that far away from each other using an example of how the moon is connected to the tide to explain his point.
The book has very soft illustrations which make reading it a very relaxing anti stress read. The story can be good for explaining how God is in everything. This book would be better if read after Christianity has been explained to a child since it doesn't mention the exact story, more so a reference to Christ. This story doesn't have too much of a rising plot its mainly a flatter story. This story can still be a good bed time story for a child around 3 to 4 years of age.
March 22, 2015
This is a soft cover, inspirational book that relates the North American coastal residents' Legend of the Sand Dollar, and includes a copy of the poem about the sand dollar from an unknown author. The artwork looks like paintings.
Kerry is upset that she and her sister will spend Easter weekend with their Aunt Jane and Cousin Jack near the ocean, and won't see her parents till they are picked up on Easter Sunday.
As Kerry wanders down to the beach, Cousin Jack comes in a small motor boat. He offers to take Kerry for a ride. She finds some sanddollars and Jack answers her questions and tells her the story about them.
This was an enjoyable read, and although it is graded for ages 4-7 with an adult reading, 2nd-3rd grade independent readers will
do just fine and enjoy the book as well.
Kerry is upset that she and her sister will spend Easter weekend with their Aunt Jane and Cousin Jack near the ocean, and won't see her parents till they are picked up on Easter Sunday.
As Kerry wanders down to the beach, Cousin Jack comes in a small motor boat. He offers to take Kerry for a ride. She finds some sanddollars and Jack answers her questions and tells her the story about them.
This was an enjoyable read, and although it is graded for ages 4-7 with an adult reading, 2nd-3rd grade independent readers will
do just fine and enjoy the book as well.
May 22, 2011
I'm not sure what made me pick up this book. I think it was the front cover illustration with the seashore and the sand dollar. The story is pretty good, although a bit overly dramatic for the lesson that it is trying to give. And the illustrations are very nice, very realistic. I think this would be a good story to read at Easter. The additional information about sand dollars is very informative, as is the message that you should only pick up the white, bleached out sand dollar skeletons, not the live ones.
October 27, 2016
Kerry was sad to leave her parents but when she got to her cousin's house, they went out on the water and explored. They found an island and found sand dollars there too. Her cousin explained how the sand dollar told a story and that story was Jesus' death and resurrection. This made her feel loved and when they got back to the house she gave a sand dollar to her sister and told her the same story. I really liked this book because it gives a practical way to share the gospel whenever you see one.
January 28, 2013
This is a good book. The story is touching. It could be used for church, but not school. Uses Sand Dollar to depict symols of Christ's Ressurection.
August 4, 2014
A neat inspirational story for children. Shares the Legend of the sand dollar and how it tells the story of Easter.
October 6, 2015
This book is amazing. I loved it so much. Remember don't judge a book by its cover. Especially this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
December 6, 2016Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
April 4, 2017
About the Book:
This newly illustrated edition of The Legend of the Sand Dollar renews the wonder and charm of the original and timeless tale written by Chris Auer. With new vibrant artwork from Bad Dog, Marley illustrator, Richard Cowdrey, this holiday classic is brought to life for a new generation. The Legend of the Sand Dollar tells the story of Kerry, as her cousin Jack reveals to her the deeper meaning of Easter hidden within something as small as a sand dollar. This Easter tale reminds everyone everywhere that when Jesus died for us and was resurrected, he promised hope for all.
My Review:
God's love is all around us. He made sure that in all of our fretting and daily tasking that we would not forget about His love for us. so we get to enjoy His love daily and without fault as we look to all the things we are surrounded by that He made for us. It is no wonder that Jack explains to Kerry the meaning of Easter through the creation of the lone sand dollar that may seem meaningless to others.
He teaches her that Jesus died for her sins as well as us all. Jack teaches this young cousin the love that was not just a careless love but one that grows deep for her. With this latest newly illustrated timeless classic we can give it as an Easter gift to out little ones that can be passed along throughout generations. A perfect Easter gift!
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
This newly illustrated edition of The Legend of the Sand Dollar renews the wonder and charm of the original and timeless tale written by Chris Auer. With new vibrant artwork from Bad Dog, Marley illustrator, Richard Cowdrey, this holiday classic is brought to life for a new generation. The Legend of the Sand Dollar tells the story of Kerry, as her cousin Jack reveals to her the deeper meaning of Easter hidden within something as small as a sand dollar. This Easter tale reminds everyone everywhere that when Jesus died for us and was resurrected, he promised hope for all.
My Review:
God's love is all around us. He made sure that in all of our fretting and daily tasking that we would not forget about His love for us. so we get to enjoy His love daily and without fault as we look to all the things we are surrounded by that He made for us. It is no wonder that Jack explains to Kerry the meaning of Easter through the creation of the lone sand dollar that may seem meaningless to others.
He teaches her that Jesus died for her sins as well as us all. Jack teaches this young cousin the love that was not just a careless love but one that grows deep for her. With this latest newly illustrated timeless classic we can give it as an Easter gift to out little ones that can be passed along throughout generations. A perfect Easter gift!
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
April 10, 2017
Scripture tells us that God reveals Himself through His creation. The Legend of The Sand Dollar by Chris Auer is a good illustration of that. Based on a popular poem of the Southeast, Auer’s book clearly and beautifully tells the story of Easter, the real story of Easter. While the narrative of this children’s book tells of Jesus’ work on the cross, the illustrations confirm the beauty of God’s world. I really liked that the story is passed from one child to the next emphasizing the easy manner of sharing about God. The author includes interesting facts about sand dollars and the original poem — good jumping off points for more exploration. The Legend of The Sand Dollar is perfect for family reading time, easily understood by young children, but with challenging vocabulary and sentence structure for the readers among you. I think this book will soon become a favorite for Easter and throughout the whole year.
Recommended.
Audience: children ages 4-10.
(Thanks to Zonderkidz of a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Recommended.
Audience: children ages 4-10.
(Thanks to Zonderkidz of a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
April 13, 2017
Looking for a beautiful book to read each Easter as a family?
This would made a wonderful addition to this year's bunny basket or the perfect take-along for a family trip to the beach!
There are books that are fun, everyday stories that you don't mind having tattered copies of, as long as you can still read them.
Then there are those special books that really merit sitting on your shelf in hard-bound form.
This is one of those books.
A young girl is spending time at the beach with her cousin, who introduces her to a nearby island where they can collect sand dollars.
She'd never seen a sand dollar before, so her cousin begins to explain what makes these treasures so special.
Almost every aspect of the creature is shown to be symbolic: an Easter lily with the Christmas star in the center on one side, the holes "made" by the nails and spear and the doves that burst forth from the center of the shell when it's broken open remind us all of the good news.
This story is mainly conveyed along one edge of each two-page spread, leaving the majority of the space for the sumptuous illustrations.
This book was originally published over a decade ago, but has been revised to include new, vibrant illustrations - illustrations that I feel make this book truly special.
I actually found myself quite distracted for several portions of the story - enough so that I would not want to read this book again, if it weren't for the wonderful artwork inside.
The little girl is distraught at the opening of the book because her parents can't come with her to the beach.
Why? We're never told, but we do revisit this conflict when the girl and her sister wait for their parents to arrive at the end of the book.
Once the cousin begins to explain the symbolism of the sand dollar, however, I completely forgot about the confusion about the parents that the book opened with.
The cousin's descriptions of the symbols are where this book's text begins to shine and it continues through several pages until what I consider an abrupt comparison to the moon, the tide, the girl's parents, and God.
This part of the story was just awkward to me; it was abrupt and had no real connection to the rest of the story.
The final page of this book explains a bit more about the sand dollar and includes a traditional poem describing the sand dollar's symbolism, which I appreciated.
Despite my issues with the storyline, I am still quite happy that we've added this title to our library.
The illustrations alone make this book worth its shelf space and I did really enjoy the meat of the book, where the sand dollar's symbolism is explained.
So consider adding this book to your collection - I feel it would be great for a seasonal Easter book that you pull out to read each spring - or the perfect book to bring along on a family trip to the beach, where your children can make an immediate connection to the story by going out to search for their own sand dollars.
I feel that even the tiniest tots would enjoy the beautiful artwork and that the sand dollar's symbolism means this book has no upper age limit.
It reminds me of the books sharing the symbolism of the candy cane or the 12 Days of Christmas song, so if your family enjoys those every year, you'll probably want to get your hands on this one.
I received a free copy of this product as a member of Zondervan's Z Blog Squad in exchange for writing a review. All opinions are my own.
This would made a wonderful addition to this year's bunny basket or the perfect take-along for a family trip to the beach!
There are books that are fun, everyday stories that you don't mind having tattered copies of, as long as you can still read them.
Then there are those special books that really merit sitting on your shelf in hard-bound form.
This is one of those books.
A young girl is spending time at the beach with her cousin, who introduces her to a nearby island where they can collect sand dollars.
She'd never seen a sand dollar before, so her cousin begins to explain what makes these treasures so special.
Almost every aspect of the creature is shown to be symbolic: an Easter lily with the Christmas star in the center on one side, the holes "made" by the nails and spear and the doves that burst forth from the center of the shell when it's broken open remind us all of the good news.
This story is mainly conveyed along one edge of each two-page spread, leaving the majority of the space for the sumptuous illustrations.
This book was originally published over a decade ago, but has been revised to include new, vibrant illustrations - illustrations that I feel make this book truly special.
I actually found myself quite distracted for several portions of the story - enough so that I would not want to read this book again, if it weren't for the wonderful artwork inside.
The little girl is distraught at the opening of the book because her parents can't come with her to the beach.
Why? We're never told, but we do revisit this conflict when the girl and her sister wait for their parents to arrive at the end of the book.
Once the cousin begins to explain the symbolism of the sand dollar, however, I completely forgot about the confusion about the parents that the book opened with.
The cousin's descriptions of the symbols are where this book's text begins to shine and it continues through several pages until what I consider an abrupt comparison to the moon, the tide, the girl's parents, and God.
This part of the story was just awkward to me; it was abrupt and had no real connection to the rest of the story.
The final page of this book explains a bit more about the sand dollar and includes a traditional poem describing the sand dollar's symbolism, which I appreciated.
Despite my issues with the storyline, I am still quite happy that we've added this title to our library.
The illustrations alone make this book worth its shelf space and I did really enjoy the meat of the book, where the sand dollar's symbolism is explained.
So consider adding this book to your collection - I feel it would be great for a seasonal Easter book that you pull out to read each spring - or the perfect book to bring along on a family trip to the beach, where your children can make an immediate connection to the story by going out to search for their own sand dollars.
I feel that even the tiniest tots would enjoy the beautiful artwork and that the sand dollar's symbolism means this book has no upper age limit.
It reminds me of the books sharing the symbolism of the candy cane or the 12 Days of Christmas song, so if your family enjoys those every year, you'll probably want to get your hands on this one.
I received a free copy of this product as a member of Zondervan's Z Blog Squad in exchange for writing a review. All opinions are my own.
Read
November 27, 2017This book would work well for children who are having a hard time with their parents leaving them at school. The main character goes on a trip and is very sad that her parents are not there but she finds a way to have fun and not be sad anymore.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews