Best Ocean Books for Kids

I have finally completed by ocean themed classroom decor, so to celebrate, I thought I'd compile a list of favourite ocean books for kids.

When it comes to the classroom, I love a good theme, so I love having themed books (fiction and non-fiction) ready to go.

1. I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

via Amazon

From Amazon: " . . . A bright blue giant squid cruises through the ocean, proudly noting that he is bigger than all the creatures he encounters. From shrimp to shark, he repeats his refrain, I'm bigger than…, sounding remarkably similar to a three-year-old cheerfully cataloging his world. Briefly dismayed when swallowed by a voracious whale (who has also swallowed up everyone else whole including the shark), the squid rallies by noting, I'm the biggest thing in this whale! . . ."

Last year, this book must have been one of the most checked out books from the school library - the kindergarten kids loved it!

2. Flotsam by David Wiesner

via Amazon

From Amazon: " . . . A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam - anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share ...and to keep . . ."

This one's for the older kids. I love using David Wiesner's wordless picture books to teach students about inferring.

3. Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins

via Amazon

From Amazon: ". . . Down, Down, Down captures the vastness, complexity and mysteriousness of the deep without over-simplifying the new research and astonishing discoveries. This oceanography lesson unfolds as a story in which the reader descends from the blue surface down nearly 36,000 feet (that’s seven miles down!) to the Marianas Trench, while meeting Flying Squids and Loosejaw Stoplight Fish along the way . . ."

I've said it before and I will say it again, Steve Jenkins has some of the BEST non-fiction books for kids.

4. A Swim Through the Sea by Kristin Joy Pratt

via Amazon

From Amazon: "Praised by Jacques Cousteau, this book, illustrated and written by a16 year-old, is a classic introduction to the marine habitat. This 1994 alphabet and alliteration book continues to be a favorite of kids, parents, and teachers everywhere. It is truly an exceptional swim through an alphabet of sea creatures . . ."

Although this is an alphabet book, it could be used with older students when learning about the ocean because it touches on a wide variety of ocean life.

5. Swimmy by Leo Lionni

via Amazon

From Amazon: "Deep in the sea there lives a happy school of little fish. Their watery world is full of wonders, but there is also danger, and the little fish are afraid to come out of hiding . . . until Swimmy comes along. Swimmy shows his friends how—with ingenuity and team work—they can overcome any danger . . ."

How could I not include Swimmy?

This is such a small sampling of all the great books for an ocean theme that I may have to come back and do a 2.0 blog post!

If you're looking for some ocean themed decor, you can check out my bundle pack by clicking {HERE} or any of the pictures below.

Enjoy the rest of the week - the school year sure is coming up soon!