These children’s books about different sea creatures have been some of our favorite books to read this year. They are full of fun facts about the amazing creatures of the ocean and their underwater world. You can probably find many of these books at your local library. I hope you find something on this list that enriches your homeschool or classroom study of the deep blue sea.
Sea Turtles by Gail Gibbons
As can be expected by Gail Gibbons, this story is very interesting, easy to digest, and full of great information. It tells all about the different kinds of sea turtles, what they eat, how they lay their eggs, and more! The information is given in a really simple way which makes it a great book for preschool and up.
Here Come the Humpbacks! by April Pulley Sayre
My kids loved this one! The story follows a mother humpback whale as she gives birth, cares for her baby, and migrates. Lots and lots of great information is woven throughout the story, making the story rich and full of life.
Baby Whale’s Journey by Jonathan London
This is a story about the birth and early life of a baby sperm whale. The story incorporates information about what sperm whales eat, how they dive, how they protect themselves from predators, how they migrate, and more. The back matter gives even more detailed information. Definitely a worthwhile read!
Whales by Gail Gibbons
Straightforward, simple, and easy to understand – this book is full of information and a great place to start learning about whales! Children of all ages will enjoy this interesting non-fiction book about the largest sea life in the ocean.
Big Blue Whale by Nicola Davies
This was my favorite book about whales! It does a great job of helping readers understand the blue whale by using comparisons and imagery that are familiar to children. Lots of great information is included about how and what blue whales eat, how they breathe, their migration patterns, and more. The text is lyrical and engaging. The beautiful illustrations are a treasure. This one was a hit!
Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
This is a darling book for young readers about how Mrs. Seahorse lays her eggs in Mr. Seahorse’s belly, and how Mr. Seahorse takes care of his eggs, and talks to many different father fish who are also caring for their young. Super cute! This is a great book about the ocean for preschoolers, although most older children will enjoy it too.
A Manatee Morning by Jim Arnosky
This is a short and simple story about a manatee and her baby that includes several facts about manatees, such as what they eat and how they interact. Because it is quite simple, this one would be best for preschool age.
The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond
This was one of our very favorite ocean books! It is a charming story filled with interesting facts about blue whales told in fun and interesting ways (such as how many hippopotami a blue whale weighs, and how many people could fit in a blue whale’s mouth). The illustrations are fantastic as well. This is one of my top picks!
Adelita: A Sea Turtle’s Journey by Jenny Goebel
This book is based on the true story of Adelita, a loggerhead sea turtle, who was tracked by a marine biologist for thousands of miles and over a year as she journeyed home. Adelita was the first turtle to show scientists that sea turtles have an amazing ability to find their place of birth.
Ibis: A True Whale Story by John Himmelman
This is the true story of Ibis, a humpback whale who became entangled in a fishing net and nearly died because of it, but was cut loose just in time to save her life. This story is interesting and easy to read, and a good choice for helping children understand the impact that humans have on ocean animals.
Wild Orca: The Oldest, Wisest Whale in the World by Brenda Peterson
This is a fictional story highlighting a real whale named “Granny” who was the matriarch of three pods of orca whales and lived to be at least 105 years old! There is a lot of good information about orcas incorporated into this story, and even more in the back matter.
Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea by Chris Butterworth
This story is easy to follow and full of fascinating information. It follows a little sea horse as he eats, hides, and swims in the bottom of the sea. My kids and I really liked learning about the mysterious sea horse through this enjoyable and informative book.
Sharks Have Six Senses by John F. Waters
This is part of the Read and Find Out series (one of my favorite series of science books!). The book is packed full of great information that is told in a simple, easy to understand, and accessible way. This is a great choice for learning about sharks!
Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! by Annie Patterson
This book follows a sea turtle through the journey from a tiny turtle hatchling to life in the sea to laying her own nest, and all the many dangers that she encounters along the way. Lots of great information about sea turtles is woven into the story. This is a great choice for learning about these amazing sea creatures in a gentle and easy way, and also for learning about the threats to their survival.
Sharks by Gail Gibbons
This is a straight-forward and very informative read about sharks. It includes information about many different kinds of sharks, how they are born, what they eat, and their amazing senses.
All About Sharks by Jim Arnosky
Very informative and easy to absorb, this is a very engaging nonfiction book. A great book for starting a study of sharks!
A Safe Home for Manatees by Priscilla Belz Jenkins
This is a great little story about a manatees.. It gives some good information about manatee habitat, what they eat, how they live, etc.. Much of the text of the book is about the threats to manatee habitats and survival, which makes this book a great tool for teaching about the importance of ocean conservation as well as learning about manatees.
Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau
This is a neat story of a young girl who inspires her new friends and her community to come together to make a difference for sea turtle hatchlings. This is another great book for inspiring the young conservationist!
How to Hide an Octopus & Other Sea Creatures by Ruth Hellers
This was a really cool book with lots of interesting information about how sea animals camouflage themselves.
Freaky, Funky Fish: Odd Facts About Fascinating Fish by Debra Kempf Shumaker
We had a blast learning about the many strange fish in this book! The book is simple yet silly with brief descriptions of the funky fish, and further information in the back. It’s the kind of book that inspires you to want to know more.
Swim for Cover! Adventure on the Coral Reef by Sue Vyner
This is a story that follows an octopus that is fleeing an unseen enemy and warns other sea creatures on the way, who each explain their method of hiding or defending themselves. It’s a simple story that includes interesting bits of information about the marine life that lives in coral reefs.
Baby Dolphin’s First Swim by American Museum of Natural History
This book follows a little dolphin as he gets to know the ocean. It is simple and concise enough to keep a young child engaged, and has enough interesting facts to be worthwhile for an older child as well. The book is illustrated with large and lovely photographs.
I am a Whale: The Life of a Humpback Whale by Darlene Stille
The text is simple and concise yet full of fascinating information about humpback whales. Short enough to keep a young elementary aged child’s attention and interesting enough for older elementary kids too.
Seahorse Reef: A Story of the South Pacific by Sally M. Walker
There are lots of fascinating facts about seahorses woven into this engaging story. This book is a little on the long and wordy side for a picture book, so it might not be best for children with short attention spans, but my young children liked it and stayed engaged. Young readers will encounter lots of ocean life in addition to seahorses in this book, including a hermit crab, sea stars, a parrot fish, an octopus, and lesser-known creatures such as a sea whip, a cleaner wrasse, a lettuce coral, and more.
Turtle in the Sea by Jim Arnosky
This story is about a mother sea turtle and how she navigates all kinds of dangers that sea turtles encounter in the ocean, such as sharks, boats, fishing nets, and storms so she can finally lay her eggs. The book is a quick read and easy to understand, so it’s great for preschool children and older.
Antifreeze, Leaf Costumes, and Other Fabulous Fish Adaptations by Laura Perdew
This is a fun and fascinating book! It tells you all kinds of surprising facts about various fish. We all really enjoyed this one.
The Secret Life of the Sea Otter by Laurence Pringle
This is a wonderful book – there are not a lot of living books out there about sea otters, and this one does a great job of entertaining and informing all at once. It follows a sea otter through her daily life, and tells the reader what she eats, how she sleeps, how she grooms, how she takes care of her baby, and more. Lots of great information about sea otters in this living book!
Seahorse by Robert A. Morris
This is a really simple yet informative story about how seahorses eat, reproduce, camouflage themselves, and more. It is in an easy reader type format, so it’s a great book for a child that is beginning to read independently. The illustration by Arnold Lobel are a treat!
Sam the Sea Cow by Francine Jacobs
This is a story about a real manatee that was reused and rehomed in an aquarium, and then later released back into the wild. The book talks about the daily life of Sam before he is taken into captivity, and gives the reader a lot of information about how sea cows eat, breathe, swim, and live. This is a very pleasant, soothing, and informative read! It was a Reading Rainbow book, so you know it’s a good pick!
Dolphin Talk: Whistles, Clicks, and Clapping Jaws by Wendy Pfeffer
This is a very interesting book, all about how dolphins and other marine mammals use echolocation to talk to one other and to understand their surroundings. It covers how dolphins make the sounds they make and what they use them for. Great read!
An Octopus is Amazing by Patricia Lauber
Another great book in the Let’s Read and Find Out series! It covers the way octopi eat, hide, protect themselves, and more. Very informative and interesting!
Starfish by Edith Thacher Hurd
This is a really simple story about the lives of starfish. It’s simple enough to be accessible for the youngest children, but includes enough information to keep older ones interested as well.
How Deep is the Ocean? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
This book takes you way down deep to the darkest depths of the ocean and introduces you to some of the fascinating ocean creatures that live on the ocean floor.
What Lives in a Shell? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
This is a simple introduction to sea animals that live in shells, such as hermit crabs, mussels, clams, and oysters. Great for preschool and early elementary age!
Baby Whales Drink Milk by Barbara Juster Esbensen
This is a very simple introduction to whales centered around the characteristics of whales that make them mammals. Great for preschool and early elementary.
I hope you and your little learners enjoyed these ocean animal books! Thank you for visiting!
