We took the petites to see Finding Dory yesterday and it was FANTASTIC, I seriously cannot handle how amazing Pixar is at putting out such quality films.  The girls love the ocean and all the things that live beneath the surface, so when I started thinking about the books that we already have on our shelves that are tried and true and a few others that we borrowed from the library  it was quite clear that we needed to put together a list of our favorites.

 Breathe by Scott Magoon (Simon & Schuster, 2014) This book is all about Dory’s message, just keep swimming.  The story follows a baby beluga through out their day, a lovely message of play, swim and breathe.  Perfect for 2-7 year olds, also a really great first read book as the text is sparse.

1001 Things to Spot in the Sea by Katie Daynes (Usborne, 2009).  This is a really fun book that will keep kids busy for a while searching for all of the hidden items.  We love the Usborne 1001 books they are really well done, with fantastically busy pictures, perfect for 3-7 year olds.

Coral Reefs by Jason Chin (Flash Point, 2011) is a perfect book for transporting you to another world.  This book is full of mystery and intrigue, filled with opportunities to talk about “what if”.  This book is perfect for 5-9 year olds.

Commotion in the Ocean by by Giles Andreae and art by David Wojtowyez (Tiger Tales, 2002) is a silly read that will have your petites giggling in no time.  The poetic verses will be sure to capture the attention of your petites along with the vibrant colors, and you are set for an undersea journey with your petite.  Perfect for ages 2-6.

 24 Hours in the Coral Reef (DK Children’s, 2005)  This non-fiction book is so unique and so stunning in its gorgeous photographs, much like all the other DK books you’ve grown to love.  This book is a unique look at what happens hour by hour in a coral reef.  My girls find this book to be enchanting and love looking and talking about the pictures.  This book is geared toward 10-17 year olds because of its scientific text, however, with guidance this book can be accessed at a much younger age.
Usborne Lift The Flap Under the Sea by Jessica Greenwell and Peter Scott (Usborne, 2010) is a gorgeous book that your budding marine biologists will love.  This book is perfect for 2 year olds and up, however, if your petites doesn’t rip the flaps, then this can be for an even younger babe.

National Geographic Ocean Animals by Johnna Rizzo (National Geographic Children’s Books, 2016) is a gorgeous book filled incredible pictures to pique curiosity and help petites who are interested in learning more about the animals in Finding Nemo and Dory.  Get to know the real animals in this stunning fact filled non-fiction book is perfect for 8-12 year olds.

 Life in the Ocean:the story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle by Claire A Nivola (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012) is a gorgeous look at the life of Sylvia Earle.  This book is gorgeous, we have checked this book out from the library quite a few times.  It tells the story of how Sylvia’s passion for the ocean was sparked as a young girl in the Gulf of Mexico and how she went on to work as an oceanographer.  It is gorgeous and reminds me a little of Me…Jane which we love so much.  Perfect for the 4-8 age set.

 The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by  Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen (Scholastic, 1994) let’s just start by saying who doesn’t love Ms. Frizzle?  Who doesn’t wish that she could be your teacher?  Okay, so lets talk about this book, it is just like all the other books, busy pages with little perfect conversation bubbles.  Ms. Frizzle with her fantastic wardrobe, and you get to learn about science in a fun way.  Yes, please.  These are tried and true books, perfect for budding scientists.  Suggested age range is around 4-8 years old.

Now for my favorite part, do you have a book that would fit perfectly into this list?  If you do, we would love to hear about it and add it.

Happy Reading!