The boy and his friend will go down the pit, just like their fathers and grandfathers before them, because ‘that’s the way it goes.’ And once the dazzling summer light has faded, we’re left to wonder what became of our narrator and all the other boys like him. For a cheaper dinner, Pizzeria Il Fantasma up the pedestrianised street does great pizzas and antipasti at outdoor tables. Of Poetto’s many “beach clubs”, one of the best is La Caravella, which does great things with tuna, clams and bottarga (three-course lunch €25), as well as pizzas in the evening (from €5.50). Town is By the Sea is a picturebook set in the 1950s and the story depicts the legacy of a mining town through the eyes of a young boy destined to become a miner in the footsteps of his father and his father’s father. The first person narrative takes the reader directly into the world of the young boy, who lives in a mining town on the Canadian coast. Children don’t need to know this book is set in the 1950’s or understand coalmining to enjoy it – it’s full of life and disarmingly accessible. But there are many layers here, together with some hidden depths, making this a richly satisfying starting point for creative exploration.

Near the cathedral, Casa Nautilus is a converted period house with central atrium, roof terrace and 15 rooms, some with traditional glassed-in balconies (doubles from €59, room-only, but help-yourself coffee, tea and biscuits). Owned by the same people, the Spanish Galleon is more hostel-style (doubles with shared facilities from €35, apartments from €65). It has amazing views from its large roof terrace, and a new ground-floor cafe doing breakfasts from €2 and a €6 vegan lunch. The Buoni e Cattivi has five rooms (from €85 B&B) and three self-catering apartments sleeping four (from €80 a night, in houses nearby. Set around an elegant interior courtyard, Hostel Marina has spacious dorms with single beds (from €20) and no bunks. Or float off to sleep on a nine-metre motorboat moored in the small marina south of Poetto (en suite cabin from €85). Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.Nearby, Cagliari’s Roman amphitheatre (€3) is being restored: there is talk of a Unesco listing, though for now it’s still untidy and crumbling. Below it, the university botanical garden (€4) is cool and shady on a hot day. Trains run from London St Pancras to Ostend via Brussels, taking from 3hr 32min. See eurostar.com for details.

It's a positive book though, beautiful and poetic. The illustrations are wonderful, we loved the fluid drawing of a dog running, we enjoyed the Lowry inspired scenes of the mines and the colours and effects of the light on the sea are very good. This is meant to be set in the 50's but we found no clues in the clothes or the home to show us that so we were confused at first as it looks as if it is modern day. Perhaps this was because this was a poor family, no 50's design had crept in but to us they looked contemporary. I suspect a small house was not such an indication of poverty in those times as it is now but the illustration of the kitchen is so spacious, the size of most people's entire downstairs, only part of the kitchen window is visible but I counted 21 large panes of glass, which is confusing given this is meant to be a poor family. After my first reading of this book I came away enjoying what I had seen and read. However, it was not until I had read the book for a second and third time that I was truly mesmerised.

Ideally, your first glimpse of Rovinj should be from the Adriatic. Then you’ll see the elegant bell tower of the baroque church of St Euphemia rising above a sea of terracotta rooftops and pastel-coloured houses. But however you arrive (the nearest station, Kanfanar, is 15 minutes away, while Pula airport is 40 minutes south) the charms of what is undoubtedly Istria’s prettiest coastal town will soon be obvious. There are plenty of islands to explore for visitors to Rovinj. Photograph: William Manning/Getty Images The story follows a young boy who lives by the sea. He describes his day by the glittering sea and sunny park whilst being aware that his father is below in the coal mines. Whilst he enjoys the freedom of childhood and beautiful surroundings he is aware one day his time will come to follow his father to work in the mines. Looking for a holiday with a difference? Browse Guardian Holidays to see a range of fantastic trips Ferries run to Cagliari from Civitavecchia (near Rome), Naples and Palermo. There are also ferries to other Sardinian ports from Genoa, Livorno, Toulon and Marseille.

A story, simply told, with beautifully evocative illustrations: this book is pure delight. It is one which when shared and talked about will become a firm favourite. The School Librarian The coal mines of Cape Breton in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia have closed, but this book recalls a time when generations of men toiled in the mines under the sea. One of the most glorious things about the UK being an island is that there’s certainly no shortage of coastline. No siree. Fully exploring this nation’s towering cliffs, brilliant beaches, sweeping bays and dramatic headlands would fill several lifetimes. And along those coastlines are an equally vast number of marvellous villages and towns – plenty of which are enjoying a bit of a renaissance right now.The boy in this book is talking about a summer long ago. Do you know someone who could share memories of the 1950’s with your children? Display photos of your neighbourhood, pictures of children’s family members in the 1950’s and objects from that time. I really admire the way Schwartz choose to write this story with the main character anticipating what his future might bring. It was flawlessly accompanied by Smith’s illustrations which highlight even more about the story. This is a beautiful book and would make a perfect book for boys to read with their fathers and especially meaningful to anyone who has relatives who have worked in the mines. For each image, describe what you can see, then talk about the sounds, tastes, textures, feelings and smells that could be associated with this memory. Mountainous Pelion has its wild side, too. From Volos, it’s a winding drive over wooded ridges and through stone hamlets to the Aegean coastline, where the road drops down to wide-open beaches and bright green coves hemmed in by cliffs.

But probing deeper we can ponder upon why the boy is looking out to sea and explore the emotions he may be feeling. Further discussion could explore the talking points around following a family trade and the benefits and disadvantages of living in the same place your whole life. The day’s end brings night and dreams of bright summer days and the dark underground. Does the final sentiment , “One day it will be my turn.” “In my town, that’s the way it goes.” suggest an inevitability that the boy will do what his father does and that is just the way it is. Is he condemned to the life of a miner? Or does it invite readers to question whether things must remain the same, just because they have always been so? This lovely, light-filled picturebook has hidden depths and is well worth reading and exploring with your class. What do these jobs involve? Do the workers wear special clothes? Where do they work? Is anything produced? Taking original illustrator Sydney Smith’s extraordinary images as a starting point, composer and violinist Anna Rheingans (of folk duo The Rheingans Sisters) situates the story within an evolving musical soundscape that captures all of the subtlety and ambiguity of the book. With a palette inspired by the Celtic fiddle music that gives Cape Breton its unique musical identity, Rheingans paints sonic “illustrations” that depict Davey’s exterior and interior world as one of cheerful surfaces and obscure depths, tranquility and noise, the comforts of everyday ritual and the constant proximity of danger.Observant readers will spot more than they’re being told. There’s a problem in the tunnel: will Father come home? The tension is subtle and swiftly relieved, but the shadows cast by this book are real. Our narrator and his friend will go down the pit, just like their fathers and grandfathers before them, because that’s the way it goes... and once the dazzling summer light has faded we’re left to wonder what becomes of them. From arty enclaves in Cornwall and characterful Welsh fishing towns to picture-perfect Scottish coves, the UK’s seaside communities are as diverse and uncategorisable as they are naturally spectacular. You can leave your clichés of miserable weatehr and greasy chippies inland – here you’ll find cutting-edge museums, destination restaurants and plenty of sun, sand and fresh sea air.Here are the best (and most beautiful) seaside towns in the UK according to us. Do you have questions you’d like to ask the boy on the roof? What’s he doing there? What could he be thinking? What kind of story could this be?