Written and illustrated by Jung Seung

As the child pieces the steps together—"To go to the sea, it must be summer. And for it to be summer...?"—we are taken on a whimsical journey of thought. In the process, the child observes ants, collects cicadas, climbs mountains, and dreams of beaches. With each moment, we sense their longing for summer and their gentle friendship with the natural world.

The book unfolds with light, curious narration and refreshing, unembellished illustrations that capture the wonder of everyday things. What does summer mean? Perhaps the taste of sweet, cool watermelon. Or the tears of cicadas crying out in the heat. Whether imagined or real, the story flows playfully, gently revealing nature’s quiet logic and the child’s tender spirit in listening to it.

This book is witty and sincere. The text and visuals are simple yet full of subtle humor and candy-colored charm. The author’s distinctive style—developed through machine embroidery—adds a tactile, unexpected texture to the pages, giving the story both freshness and depth.

A hidden gem of the book is the grandfather: a quiet, easygoing presence who appears not to supervise, but to respond gently when needed. He doesn’t lead the play, but shares in it with childlike wonder—sometimes even half-buried beside the sandcastle.

So, in the end, how is the sandcastle completed? Does knowing the "formula" change the outcome? Between the basic ingredients and the end result, there's a surprise—a touch of unexpected humor. And in the final scene, the bucket holds not sand, but something else entirely: a single acorn, hinting at the start of another story waiting to be told.