If you missed your ocean-side vacation this summer, don’t despair. Today I’m sharing books and activities that will provide a perfect beach week feel! If you want to hear the gentle sound of waves on a beach while you read this post, click here.
Theme: oceans, animals, ecology
The Ocean Blue and You
by Suzanne Slade; illus. by Stephanie Fizer Coleman
32 pages; ages 5-8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2024
Drip, drop raindrops plop. You’re cozy and snug inside Mama’s warm hug.
Sitting beneath an umbrella on a sandy shore, you listen to ocean waves swish and swoosh. And while you sleep, the creatures of the ocean are busy beneath the waves. Hungry sharks, elusive eels, stealthy stingrays go about their lives.
What I like about this book: The language is gentle and lyrical – so lyrical that it lulls you into exploring the underwater world before you realize that SCIENCE is happening! Readers visit deep waters, colorful coral reefs, and tidepools, meeting the plants and animals that live there. Tuck this book into your beach tote next time you go to the shore. And until then, why not think of it as a bath time read? Toss in a few plastic sea creatures, turn up the ocean sounds and take an indoor beach day. Oh, and I almost forgot: there is Back Matter! One last spread devoted to why exploring the ocean is so important.
Super Ocean Weekend: The Ultimate Underwater Adventure
Written & illustrated by Gaëlle Alméras; translated by David Warriner
172 pages; ages 7-12
Greystone Kids, 2024
This is the second book in the Science Adventure Club series, nonfiction books presented in “graphic novel” style. Friends, Castor and Squeak (a beaver and a rat) are camping on an island with Orni (platypus) and her cousin Echid (echidna). Fortunately, there’s a character introduction opposite the title page – and a table of contents so readers have a “map” of where they’re headed on this adventure.
There’s a lot of ocean science mixed throughout the adventures – and misadventures of island camping. Here are just a few of the things I like about this book: the plankton party; the tidepool discoveries; an entire chapter devoted to buoyancy; introductions to jellyfish, whales, and other creatures; and an adventure to the bottom of the ocean printed on dark pages and requiring the reader to turn the book for a long, vertical page for the deep, deep dive to the bottom of the sea! Back matter includes a quick guide to ocean creatures and shows four ways kids can be an ocean superhero.
Beyond the Books:
Grab a beach towel and lay it down in a sunny spot on the floor. Listen to ocean waves (here's another recording) while you try some ocean-inspired yoga poses. Be a whale! Or a jellyfish... you can find some poses on this page.
Draw a picture of your favorite ocean animal or plant. Yes, seaweed counts.
Try one of the ocean activities presented here.
Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copies provided by the publishers.