Friday Favorites: 10 Favorite Beach and Ocean Picture Books

It was one of those glorious days at the Oregon coast. The kind of day where you eek out every moment of sunlight, watching the kids sprint circles in the sand and splash in the warm, salty pools until they collapse. And you eat sandy sandwiches because you cannot bear to leave, even for lunch. And you turn into a kid yourself and try a cartwheel for your nephew (even though your body doesn’t do that anymore) and dig your hands into the hot-baked sand just to feel the warmth. For me anyway, there is no better day and no better place on Earth. Today reminded me of how much I have enjoyed sharing the discovery of marine life in the tide pools and estuaries with my daughter, niece, and nephew. Sea anemones, sculpins, sea stars, hermit crabs, mussels, clams, sea lions and harbor seals…there are so many miracles to wonder about through the eyes of a child. So, I wanted to share a list of ten of my favorite stories about the ocean, beach and seashore (old and new, in no particular order). They are wonderful reminders of all the time I have spent here and all the wonderful things I have learned, and they are some of my favorite books to read to the children in my life. If you have any favorite beach/ocean books, please leave a comment!

1. Secrets of the Seashore by Carron Brown and Illustrated by Alyssa Nasser
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Seashore-Shine-Light-Book/dp/1610673093 

2. Sally Goes to the Beach by Stephen Huneck
https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/Sally-Goes-Beach-Huneck-Stephen-abrams/8683839185/bd
 
3. When the Tide is Low by Sheila Cole and Illustrated by Virginia Wright-Frierson
https://www.amazon.com/When-Tide-Low-Sheila-Cole/dp/0688040667

4. Ladybug Girl at the Beach by David Soman and Jacky Davis
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/308484/ladybug-girl-and-bingo-by-jacky-davis-illustrated-by-david-soman/9780803735828/ 

5. Stella, Star of the Sea by Mary Louise Gay
https://www.amazon.com/Stella-Star-Sea-Sam/dp/0888999925

6. The Boy and the Whale by Mordicai Gerstein
https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Whale-Mordicai-Gerstein/dp/1626725055
 
7. The Maggie B by Irene Haas
https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-B-Irene-Haas/dp/0689500211
 
8. Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen and Don Hanna
https://www.amazon.com/Pout-Pout-Fish-Deborah-Diesen/dp/0374360979

9. The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson Illustrated by Alex Scheffler
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/288495/the-snail-and-the-whale-by-julia-donaldson/9780142405802/
 
10. Following Papa’s Song by Gianna Marino
​https://www.amazon.com/Following-Papas-Song-Gianna-Marino/dp/0670013153