We love spending time at the seaside but we live a very long way from the sea. While we’re waiting for our next beach holiday we’ve been reading our favourite seaside picture books.
In Splash, Anna Hibiscus! Anna Hibiscus’ family are all too busy to splash with her. Eventually Anna Hibiscus goes into the sea alone but when her family sees what fun she is having it isn’t long before they join her. A beautifully illustrated story which evokes memories of splashing in the sea in the sunshine.
‘Hi Gorgeous’ is one of my daughter’s favourite catchphrases, she learnt it from the windsurfer in Mrs Armitage and the Big Wave. When the big wave finally comes Mrs Armitage and her dog, Breakspear, are faced with a dilemma, should they enjoy the wave that they have been waiting for or rescue Miranda who is in trouble? This very funny story always makes us laugh.
When naughty seagulls steal The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch Mrs Grinley, his wife, comes up with an interesting sandwich filling to deter them. This story takes us back in time to the days before technology when lighthouses had lighthouse keepers.
In Winnie under the Sea Winnie turns Wilbur into a catfish so he can enjoy swimming. She transforms herself into an octopus but then disaster strikes and she drops her wand. Can she find it on the seabed? Colourful, underwater scenes full of fish and other sea creatures accompany Winnie’s watery adventure.
It’s not always hot and sunny at the seaside and the beach in The Storm Whale is vast, unpopulated and wild. Noi finds a baby whale that has been stranded on the beach and takes it home but when his father returns from work they don their oilskins and row out into the choppy sea to take the whale home. The seaside illustrations bring back childhood memories of cool, windy days at the beach.
Commotion in the Ocean‘s bouncy rhyming text introduces a variety of fish and animals that live in and around the ocean. With bright, colourful illustrations it is the perfect first picture book for introducing young children to a variety of marine life. You can download free set of Commotion in the Ocean posters on the Teacher’s Pet website.
More seaside inspired books, arts, crafts and learning activities on Pinterest
Do you have any favourite seaside picture books to add to our list?
Perfect time of year for these book suggestions. We love Winnie Under the Sea here 🙂 thanks for linking up with #readwithme I have tweeted your post x
We love Winnie the Witch, it’s her 25th birthday this year!
I’m afraid I only know German by-the-sea picture books. The ones I’d recommend are the Emma & Max books by Marlies Kahlsdorf. The first one explains the tides, the others have Emma (a young seagull) and Max (a young raven) visit Hamburg, the Baltic Sea, follow the North Sea-Baltic Sea canal, chase pirates from Heligoland and discover Vikings in Haddeby.
The pictures are very cute, the animals as well as the places well drawn, are there are always some funny things (my mom’s favourites are the worms in the Wadden Sea, my daughter’s the seagull with the cap and the backpack).
Thanks for the recommendation Mayken. These books look lovely and a great way for children to learn about different places in Germany 🙂
“Sneakers the Seaside Cat” by Margaret Wise Brown is fantastic!
I don’t know Sneakers the Seaside Cat. I’ve just looked him up, he’s very cute and the story sounds fun 🙂
I am looking forward to The Storm Whale which I have here along with another Davies book, On Sudden Hill. One Australian seaside book I ready recently was Granny Grommet and Me.
(I have just proved I am human! Your human check for comments asked one + ? = three. I felt really sure the answer was two, but it wouldn’t accept that. Very tricky needing a digit.)
The Storm Whale is an awesome book. Thank you for recommending Granny Grommet and Me, she looks like a really fun Granny 🙂
Wow, lots of summery books I hadn’t heard of. I’m happy to recommend a few more from a Sea Creature themed collection that was put together for a giveaway earlier this summer. The contest has long passed, but thought these were some great seaside themed books (mostly for older children) to add to the list…
Barney and Barry, The Hitchhikers by Sharon Powers
Doonsey’s Beach Adventure, the Great Rescue: Coloring Fun & Activity Book by Rhonda Paglia
Jake’s Adventures: The Secret of the Shark Tooth Crab Claw by Melissa Moraja
Kojo the Sea Dragon Gets Lost by David Chuka
Little Orchid’s Sea Monster Trouble by Claudine Gueh Yanting
Happy reading and enjoy the last rays of summer! Thanks for the wonderful post. Best, Stephanie
Thankyou Stephanie 🙂 Doonsey’s Beach Adventure, the Great Rescue looks like a fun activity book.
I’m sad to say I’ve not come across any of these books! S and I both love the seaside; perhaps we’ll investigate these before our next trip!
Thanks for linking up with #WeekendBlogHop!
They are all fantastic reads. The Storm Whale was my favourite picture book of last year.