A gratitude picture book by Cathy Westbury
What Color is Your Sand?
Meet Justin Josef, a child whose innocent questions remind a weary visitor what really matters. A gentle story that helps kids and grown-ups count their blessings, even on the hard days.
- Rated 5.0 on Amazon
- 34 pages, large print
- Written by an award-winning school counselor
Ships free with Prime
What is What Color is Your Sand? about?
Are you always wishing to be near sand that seems better than yours? Maybe it's time to count your blessings. In this story, a young boy named Justin Josef asks the kind of simple, honest questions only a child can ask, and his curiosity helps a visitor rediscover what's truly important in life.
The message is one children and adults both need to hear: treasuring life's moments, places, and people is a life-saving skill. Finding joy is not out of reach, even on our worst days.
In one sentence: What Color is Your Sand? is a 34-page gratitude picture book by retired school counselor Cathy Westbury that uses a child's questions on a beach to teach readers of every age to stop comparing and start treasuring the moments, places, and people already in their lives.
Who is this book for?
Written in large print for beginner readers, with a message strong enough for any age. Here's how families and schools put it to work.
Parents and grandparents
A calm bedtime read-aloud that opens real conversations about contentment, comparison, and noticing the good things already around us.
Teachers
A ready-made morning meeting or SEL read-aloud. The story's central question invites every student to answer for themselves: what color is your sand?
School counselors
Written by one of your own. Use it in classroom lessons and small groups on gratitude, resilience, and the trap of comparing ourselves to others.
Anyone who needs encouragement
A thoughtful gift for a friend in a rough season. Sometimes a 34-page picture book says what a long conversation can't.
What readers say
"Great book for children. Great for beginner readers, with an awesome outlook on life."
Book details
| Title | What Color is Your Sand? |
|---|---|
| Author | Cathy Westbury |
| Format | Paperback, large print edition |
| Length | 34 pages |
| Price | $10.95 on Amazon (free shipping with Prime) |
| Published | August 30, 2016 · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |
| ISBN-10 / ISBN-13 | 1518886353 / 978-1518886355 |
| Dimensions | 8.5 x 8.5 inches, square picture-book format |
| Language | English |
| Rating | 5.0 out of 5 stars on Amazon |
About the author, Cathy Westbury
Cathy Westbury
Author & retired elementary school counselor
Cathy Westbury spent her career as an elementary school counselor, helping children name their strengths and use them to make the world a better place. That mission didn't retire when she did. It became this book.
Her work with students earned her recognition as Missouri Elementary School Counselor of the Year and as a Peabody Energy Leader in Education. She is also a trained facilitator of the 7 Habits Signature and Family programs, and today she writes, presents, and leads workshops for schools, families, and community groups.
What Color is Your Sand? distills decades of counseling conversations into one question a five-year-old can ask and a fifty-year-old still needs to answer.
- Missouri Elementary School Counselor of the Year
2010 - Peabody Energy Leader in Education
2013 - 7 Habits Signature and Family Training
Trained facilitator - Author, presenter, facilitator
Schools, families, and community groups
Frequently asked questions
What is What Color is Your Sand? about?
It's a picture book about gratitude. A child named Justin Josef asks a visitor simple questions on a beach, and those questions reveal what's truly important in life: treasuring the moments, places, and people we already have instead of wishing for someone else's.
What age is the book for?
It's printed in large type that's friendly to beginner readers, and it works beautifully as a read-aloud for younger children. The message about contentment and counting your blessings lands with adults too, which makes it a favorite for family reading.
Is it useful for classrooms and school counseling?
Yes. The author is a retired, award-winning elementary school counselor, and the story is built around a discussion question. It fits naturally into SEL lessons, morning meetings, and small-group counseling sessions on gratitude, comparison, and resilience.
How long does it take to read?
At 34 pages in a square 8.5-inch picture-book format, it reads aloud comfortably in about ten minutes, with plenty of natural pauses for kids to answer the story's questions themselves.
Where can I buy What Color is Your Sand?
The paperback is available on Amazon for $10.95, with free shipping on qualifying orders and Prime delivery. Order your copy on Amazon.
Does Cathy Westbury do author visits or speaking engagements?
Yes. Cathy presents at schools, family nights, conferences, and community events. Share your date and details on the speaking page and she'll follow up with availability.
Start counting your blessings tonight
One small book. One big question. Order a copy for your family, your classroom, or a friend who needs a reminder that their sand is worth treasuring.
Buy on Amazon · $10.95