Belinda wears a funny hat and rules the waves like a pirate! When Alexander arrives at the beach for the first time, Belinda’s happy laugh helps him overcome fear and join in the fun.

Belinda ruled the beach the way the tide rules the shore — completely, and without asking permission.

She built her castle at the water’s edge, right where the waves could find it. That was the whole point.

A boy stood far back on the dry sand. His feet were planted. His arms were crossed tight. The sea was bigger than he had imagined, and it kept moving, and he did not like that at all.

Belinda watched him from the corner of her eye. She had seen that look before — the look of someone waiting for the sea to stop.

She walked over and handed him a stick without saying a word. Then she drew a long line in the wet sand, just at the edge of the foam.

The next wave came. It swallowed the line. Gone.

She drew it again.

Gone again.

The boy’s arms loosened. He crouched down. He took the stick.

He drew the line himself, and waited.

The wave came. The line disappeared. He laughed — one short, surprised sound — and drew it again.

Belinda went back to her castle. She had work to do before the tide came in.

Behind her, she could hear the boy laughing at the sea.

The sea laughed back.

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