A crenellated turret here, a winding, arched staircase there, maybe even a giant turtle—fantasy is at the heart of every sandcastle. Summer after summer, both children and adults make valiant efforts to infuse their sandy structures with inspiration, but the results are generally disappointing.
 
With Sandcastles Made Simple—now available in an extremely affordable paperback edition—Lucinda Wierenga, a renowned sand sculptor, puts a permanent end to less-than-perfect beach creations. She provides the ultimate step-by-step guide to building impressive sandcastles, and shows that with a few simple tools and a basic understanding of sand, building dream castles can be easy. The book features instructions for each of the elements—base, staircase, roof, balcony, and more—that can be combined to fashion one-of-a-kind castles. Also included are projects designed for young children, guidelines for working with large groups, and tips for sandcastle contests.