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The Sand Castle Contest
Bestselling team Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko create another wacky adventure about a boy named Matthew who makes a sandcastle so real, that every
While on vacation. Matthew is excited to take part in the local sandcastle contest. The winner gets a bathtub filled with ice cream!
But Matthew is just too good at building sand castles. The judges all think the house he builds, complete with sand chairs, a sand refrigerator, and sand food is real! He has to prove that it's all just a big pile of sand so he can win that ice cream!
While on vacation. Matthew is excited to take part in the local sandcastle contest. The winner gets a bathtub filled with ice cream!
But Matthew is just too good at building sand castles. The judges all think the house he builds, complete with sand chairs, a sand refrigerator, and sand food is real! He has to prove that it's all just a big pile of sand so he can win that ice cream!
32 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2005
5 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Robert Munsch
289 books1,673 followersRobert Munsch was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Fordham University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and from Boston University in 1971 with a Master of Arts degree in anthropology.
He studied to become a Jesuit priest, but decided he would rather work with children after jobs at orphanages and daycare centers. In 1973, he received a Master of Education in Child Studies from Tufts University. In 1975 he moved to Canada to work at the preschool at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. He also taught in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and as an assistant professor. In Guelph he was encouraged to publish the many stories he made up for the children he worked with.
Munsch's wife delivered two stillborn babies in 1979 and 1980. Out of the tragedy, he produced one of his best-known books, Love You Forever. This book was listed fourth on the 2001 Publishers Weekly All-Time Best selling Children's Books list for paperbacks at 6,970,000 copies (not including the 1,049,000 hardcover copies). The Munsches have since become adoptive parents of Julie, Andrew and Tyya (see them all in Something Good!)
Munsch has obsessive-compulsive disorder and has also suffered from manic depression. In August 2008, Munsch suffered a stroke that affected his ability to speak in normal sentences. He has recovered enough that he is able to perform live, but has put his writing career on hold until he is fully recovered.
He studied to become a Jesuit priest, but decided he would rather work with children after jobs at orphanages and daycare centers. In 1973, he received a Master of Education in Child Studies from Tufts University. In 1975 he moved to Canada to work at the preschool at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. He also taught in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and as an assistant professor. In Guelph he was encouraged to publish the many stories he made up for the children he worked with.
Munsch's wife delivered two stillborn babies in 1979 and 1980. Out of the tragedy, he produced one of his best-known books, Love You Forever. This book was listed fourth on the 2001 Publishers Weekly All-Time Best selling Children's Books list for paperbacks at 6,970,000 copies (not including the 1,049,000 hardcover copies). The Munsches have since become adoptive parents of Julie, Andrew and Tyya (see them all in Something Good!)
Munsch has obsessive-compulsive disorder and has also suffered from manic depression. In August 2008, Munsch suffered a stroke that affected his ability to speak in normal sentences. He has recovered enough that he is able to perform live, but has put his writing career on hold until he is fully recovered.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
August 23, 2018
I love the sandcastle that was a life-size house. Very cute. It even had a refrigerator. The problem I feel is that the story feels so rushed. It starts out about traveling somewhere and stopping at a place there is a beach. There is a contest going on as soon as they get there and the kid is out the car and building a house. I guess that's ok overall.
The kids thought it was ok too. They both gave it 3 stars so we all agree on this one. There is so much energy in the artwork. You feel the excitement of the kids.
The kids thought it was ok too. They both gave it 3 stars so we all agree on this one. There is so much energy in the artwork. You feel the excitement of the kids.
September 23, 2017
It's difficult for me to admit, but this is not Robert Munsch's finest. I picked up The Sandcastle Contest at a book sale because I always buy Munsch's works, even though I couldn't recall the title from my youth. At least I haven't been missing much.
Unlike Stephanie's Ponytail or Mmm, Cookies!, with their clear plot lines, this story of a boy who enters a sandcastle-building contest while on vacation starts in one direction and then veers wide, until by the end, I'm left thinking, What was the point?
I'll keep this one in my classroom library, but I doubt I'll select it for a read-aloud any time soon.
Unlike Stephanie's Ponytail or Mmm, Cookies!, with their clear plot lines, this story of a boy who enters a sandcastle-building contest while on vacation starts in one direction and then veers wide, until by the end, I'm left thinking, What was the point?
I'll keep this one in my classroom library, but I doubt I'll select it for a read-aloud any time soon.
June 16, 2011
Really, really odd. The story just goes on and on with no point. Weird and the pictures are bright but almost as odd as the stories. Not our favorite but we're still thankful to our kiddo's preschool teacher for giving it to him as a out-for-the-summer book. :)
November 30, 2017
Random in parts. The essential theme is there, but it's as if Munsch just added random crap to make a story.
May 17, 2025
cute little read
August 1, 2014
Munsch, R. (2005). The Sand Castle Contest. Toronto, ON: Scholastic.
Matthew’s family is taking a vacation to the beach. As they are about to leave, Matthew suggests they get a dog for the trip. His father denied his request and they set off on their journey. As they reached the beach, Matthew noticed a sand castle and a sand dog. When he found out it was for a sand castle contest for a bathtub full of ice cream, Matthew set out to build the best sand castle on the beach. The problem was that his castle was so good, none of the judges actually believed it was real. After they found out his castle was made out of sand, Matthew won the grand prize and the girl he shared his winnings with shared her expertise on making a sand dog.
Resouce Links 6/1/05
This book can show the importance of dispositions in action and self-assessment strategies.
Matthew’s family is taking a vacation to the beach. As they are about to leave, Matthew suggests they get a dog for the trip. His father denied his request and they set off on their journey. As they reached the beach, Matthew noticed a sand castle and a sand dog. When he found out it was for a sand castle contest for a bathtub full of ice cream, Matthew set out to build the best sand castle on the beach. The problem was that his castle was so good, none of the judges actually believed it was real. After they found out his castle was made out of sand, Matthew won the grand prize and the girl he shared his winnings with shared her expertise on making a sand dog.
Resouce Links 6/1/05
This book can show the importance of dispositions in action and self-assessment strategies.
July 4, 2015
I read this book to my daughter and I think I loved it more than she did. In Munsch's newest tale, he proves once again that he has the persistent ability to provoke emotions and spark imagination in just a few short pages. Perhaps it has something to do with my own childhood of growing up reading his books, or perhaps Munsch has found a way to steal some of the magic that childhood entails and preserve it within his stories. Either way, Munsch's witty story lines paired with Michael Martchenko's classic fun-filled illustrations present me with the same comfort as would an old friend. Five out of five stars, and I'll try again with my daughter tomorrow night.
August 17, 2018
This is the story of Matthew who goes on a trip with his family and enters a sand castle building contest on the Beach. Matthew Builds an amazingly realistic Sandcastle house and has a very hard time convincing the judges of the contest that the house is made of sand, and is not actually a real house. Why do grownups not listen? :0)
Now if only Matthew could build a sand dog to take home
This is a very cute story; I love how frustrated Matthew gets with the judges. He reminded me so much of a couple of the children in my class when they get frustrated with their parents. LOL
Now if only Matthew could build a sand dog to take home
This is a very cute story; I love how frustrated Matthew gets with the judges. He reminded me so much of a couple of the children in my class when they get frustrated with their parents. LOL
December 8, 2015
I love love love loved this one.. what little kid doesn't dream about making the most extravagant sand castle.. or in this case a sand house! I loved the fact about the kids wanting dogs so badly that they made them
out of sand! every child deserves to have a dog! I loved all the amazing creations that he made out of sand: sand bed, sand tv, sand couch, sand refrigerator stocked full
of sand food! no one believed that the kid could build such a life like sand house.. then he does some thing to prove it!! HAHAHA! loved this part! one of my favourites! such a good one!
out of sand! every child deserves to have a dog! I loved all the amazing creations that he made out of sand: sand bed, sand tv, sand couch, sand refrigerator stocked full
of sand food! no one believed that the kid could build such a life like sand house.. then he does some thing to prove it!! HAHAHA! loved this part! one of my favourites! such a good one!
August 12, 2013
Matthew enters a sand castle building competition and builds a sand "house" however when the judges come by they believe it is a real house and in order to prove that it is made out of sand he has to destroy it. Kalita also made a dog out of sand that acted like a real dog. While this book takes place in a realistic setting there is no sense that there should be magic there so it made it a little unbelievable and just an ok book.
April 2, 2016
The Sandcastle Contest is my absolute favourite children's book written by Robert Munsch. A young girl wishes to enter a sandcastle contest on the beach while her family is on summer vacation. The girl is very determined to build a huge sandcastle. She wins easily with her sand bed, TV, dog, and more. The judges couldn't believe their eyes! Sandcastle Contest was a very fun book to read. I loved it!
February 2, 2009
Cute story about a boy who wants to bring everything on a camping trip, especially a dog that he doesn't yet own. He enters a sand castle contest and builds a realistic house and wins a prize, but knows that his friend, who made a dog out of sand, is a genius. Odd, but a cute story for children. And the illustrations are fun, too.
June 8, 2018
This funny book tells about a sand castle contest being held at a beach where the winner gets a bathtub of ice cream. Matthew builds a sand house. But it was so realistic that the judges do not believe him, that is until he gives it a kick, and it crumbles. Fun book to read and can relate to sand explorations in science.
February 3, 2012
This book is very cute. The boy starts to build sand castles for a contest. The judges end up thinking that the sand castle he built was a real house. I love it because this boy set his mind to something and didnt give up.
May 2, 2015
a family goes to the beach where the boy builds a sand castle so good it looks like a real house. Dogs made out of sand that come to life also feature. To strange for storytime and a little too long but a kid who likes silly stories will like this.
January 12, 2009
This was a silly, disjointed story that didn't have much purpose at all. Don't bother! I'm not even going to read it to my kids. My oldest son read it and said it was strange too.
July 12, 2011
A short book that was a gift from my teacher. Pretty funny.
November 15, 2012
Excellent.
April 20, 2013
A good story of friendship, of creative thinking, of imagination, and of sharing. Great for young readers who love Munsch, and whose parents like to choose books with lots of great morals!
May 5, 2013
Imagination gone wild.
June 18, 2013
A story about a boy who builds a sand house for the sand contest that is so realistic the judges won't believe it isn't real.
November 21, 2013
Read this book at work one day. The story of Matthew and his sandhouse was very cute! I also love the illustrations.
December 12, 2014
Notes:
kids couldn't decide if it was magic sand or not
enjoyed reading this one several times
kids couldn't decide if it was magic sand or not
enjoyed reading this one several times
April 21, 2016
Like his other books, this one is strange. He builds a sand house that the judges believe is real. I put my dog down this week. She was old. I wish I could make a sand dog of her and get her back...
Want to read
August 27, 2016I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13118797
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13118797
September 24, 2020
Matthew and his family go camping and on the beach he meets Katila, a young girl who tells him about the sandcastle competition that is happening. Matthew builds a sandcastle that resembles a house and is so realistic the judges can't believe it is a sand castle. But Matthew is much more taken with what Katila has made, a sand dog. He doesn't have a dog and wants one, so he asks her how to make one. She shows him and he makes a dog so realistic he keeps it as his pet.
Another entertaining story from the prolific Robert Munsch, this book is nicely illustrated by Michael Martchenko.
A delightful book that I only gave a four rating because I thought the ending was a little flat.
Another entertaining story from the prolific Robert Munsch, this book is nicely illustrated by Michael Martchenko.
A delightful book that I only gave a four rating because I thought the ending was a little flat.
December 27, 2018
The Sandcastle Contest doesn't have your average sandcastle contest in this book. I don't know how Mathew did it, but he made that sandcastle look so very real.
I don't know how those two kids brought dogs to life out of the sand, but it was still entertaining.
I think I only like this one because there's no real context, but it's still fun to read.
I don't know how those two kids brought dogs to life out of the sand, but it was still entertaining.
I think I only like this one because there's no real context, but it's still fun to read.
March 27, 2024
This was a book that I loved growing up. It is another silly Robert Munsch book that is just so well done. The illustrations are perfect and it is delightfully funny. A boy goes to the beach where there is a sandcastle contest. He builds a house so realistic that all of the judges think that it is real. This book is clever and funny and a great read-aloud book for kids.
February 22, 2019
I used this as a read aloud with preschoolers who are doing a PYP unit on building. Most had experience with making sand castles and were impressed with the house in the story. The illustrations are funny.
May 5, 2021
My 3 year old chose this at the library. It was okay because we just went to the beach and built sandcastles a couple of days ago. We had a discussion about how a real sand castle wouldn’t look like that and thankfully the boy shared in the end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews