Great beach read

Families can enjoy a day at the beach without needing to slather on the sunscreen with the new, hardcover book “When a Dragon Moves In.”

This humorous and endearing tale of friendship quickly engages its 4- to 8-year-old target audience — and their parents — from the moment author Jodi Moore writes, “If you build a perfect sand castle, a dragon will move in.”

The comedy ensues when the imaginative little boy tries to introduce his distracted parents to his new fire-breathing sidekick. The outlandishness of his attention-grabbing stunts — drawn in vibrant color by Howard McWilliam — increases as his frustration mounts.

Moore’s story has a moral for the parents, too, serving as a reminder to busy moms and dads to take a moment to enjoy their own kids before their childhood — and magical sidekicks — go out with the tide.

“When a Dragon Moves In” by Jodi Moore, $16.95. For info, visit www.flashlightpress.com.