It’s good to see Canadian publishers bringing out leveled readers, those first simple stories designed to help children learn to read independently. Sam is a rather cute puppy featured in several easy readers in the Kids Can Read series. In Sam at the Seaside, Sam and her humans head off to the beach, a destination Sam believes is going to be lots of fun. Alas, getting bowled over by waves, having her nose pinched by a crab and her hot dog stolen by a seagull prove to be less than pleasant experiences. All ends well (for Sam, that is) when she finds a smelly dead fish upon which to roll. Appealing illustrations, a cute puppy, and text with plenty of repetition all help entice young readers into the world of books.