A day at the beach might be fun for Eleanor, but to her dog, Sukie, it represents one potential threat after another. Descending the stairs to the sand? Sukie might get a shell stuck up her nose, fall on her head and need stitches, “and besides, there might be lobsters.” Eleanor carries Sukie down the steps, but then the little dog is faced with a beach ball. It might knock her down and she’d never get up again, forcing her to live on the beach eating seaweed, “and besides, beach balls attract lobsters.” Anxiety-stricken Sukie sees disaster—and lobsters—lurking at every turn and prefers to sit quietly with her toy monkey, Chunka Munka, while Eleanor plays in the water. But when an errant wave pulls Chunka Munka out to sea, Sukie doesn’t think twice and heroically paddles out to retrieve her friend. Reassuring illustrations (Chunka Munka smiles serenely as he floats atop the water) and Sukie’s recurring lobster phobia infuse this tale of anxiety with gentle humor. (Ages 3-7)