Under the Sea Topic Booklist (EYFS & KS1)
Dive into the Under the Sea topic and make a splash – there’s so much to explore! From crabs and coral reefs to shorelines and sharks, we’ve got it all covered in our hand-picked selection of the best children’s books about oceans and seas for children in EYFS and KS1.
NB: This booklist is aimed at children aged 4-7. For sea-themed books for older children, try our Oceans and Seas KS2 list.
Part of the popular ‘One Day on our Blue Planet’ series, this beautifully illustrated picture book charts the wildlife in the ocean across the course of a whole day. Informative and visually appealing with accessible text, this non-fiction series is a winner for KS1 classrooms.
This is a beautifully illustrated non-fiction picture book all about the blue whale. The text is informative and filled with interesting details and the engaging illustrative style gives the book an almost story-like appeal. The book helps children to get a sense of the sheer vastness of these creatures, comparing their size to relatable everyday objects like vehicles or milk bottles. Engaging, appealing and highly recommended for KS1.
This non-fiction text is a celebration of life under the sea. Its flaps and cartoon-style illustrations will keep children engaged as they learn about incredible underwater worlds. Topics covered include marine life, habitats, ocean zones and coral reefs.
Here at BooksForTopics HQ we are big fans of Lucy Cousins’ bright and colourful artwork. This simple rhyming text showcases a whole host of imaginative fish in all their splendour, including ele-fish, eye fish and curly-wurly fish! This is a great book to get imaginations whirring in EYFS.
Tiddler is a fish who is always late for school. Every day he arrives with a different tall story about why he is not there on time, until one day he finds himself caught up in a big adventure that will make him very, very late indeed! A fun, rhyming story with a repeated refrain.
This charming concertina book follows the journey of a little submersible on a voyage beneath the waves, down into the deep dark ocean and back again. Folding out to nearly 2.5 metres, children can look at all the different things the sub sees on its way, as it travels past a shipwreck, through a coral reef, near to a pod of orcas hunting for their lunch, close to a leatherback turtle feasting on jellyfish, and past some rather strange deep-sea fish. Playful text guides the journey, providing a fun shared experience and a conversation starter for parents and young children.
The reverse side of the concertina features spot illustrations picked out from the main scene, with more expansive information about submarines, ocean life and the dangers it is facing.
It’s time for Little Turtle to leave the nest and venture out into the big, wide world or, more specifically, the vast, beautiful ocean. As she grows, so does her love of her new surroundings as she swims further and further through the dazzling water, meeting new friends along the way. Her journey complete, Little Turtle makes a home on the other side of the world, living happily until it is time for her to return from whence she came.
It is on her return journey that Little Turtle realises that she does not recognise the ocean she loves. Something has changed and not for the better. Where are the other creatures? Why are they silent? Danger is now never far from Little Turtle. Will she make it back?
This is a wonderful book to introduce the theme of the danger of plastic pollution to young children while providing them with a story that is full of heart. The story is perfect for reading aloud as children hear the rhythm and sounds of the ocean as the reader travels with Little Turtle. Becky Davies’s writing has a beautiful, lyrical quality to it and Jennie Poh’s engaging mixed-media illustrations help to show, in turn, the beauty and then the dramatic and unwelcome changes to Little Turtle’s beloved ocean.
For parents and teachers looking for books about the importance of looking after our oceans and the dangers of plastic pollution, this would be a great choice as it gets its point across in an age-appropriate way, giving younger readers a happy ending for Little Turtle while putting across a key environmental message. At the end of the book there are two double pages with links to further reading for children and explanations which could form the basis of related cross-curricular learning.
Humphrey the whale is on a quest: to find the one perfect object that will make him feel complete. He roams far and wide, gathering endless undersea treasure as he goes. Yet, no matter how many goodies he accumulates, Humphrey still doesn’t feel content. Could it be friendship, not possessions, that will really make Humphrey’s heart sing? A sparkling rhyming tale that encourages sharing and kindness, this heartwarming story of friendship is perfect for reading aloud.
This large-sized informative compendium about ocean life is the kind of non-fiction that children like to come back to again and again to pore over its pages.
Each double-page spread dives into a different sea-themed question, such as ‘Are jellyfish made of jelly?’ or ‘Why do crabs run sideways?’.
There is never too much text on each page, but what you find is accessible chunks of information cleverly interspersed into each ocean scene. The illustrations are stunning and come together to make wonderful spreads that serve as a treasure trove of visual delights for young eyes, as text and pictures work together to build an understanding of underwater habitats and the life they hold.
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