Picture Books
Alexander, Kwame. Surf’s Up. Surf’s up! Not yet, Dude! Books are boring! Not this one! Bro and Dude have very different ideas about how to spend the day at the beach. But as Bro continues to gasp and cheer as he reads his book, Dude can’t help but get curious.
Alley, R.W. Gretchen Over the Beach. Gretchen turns to her vivid imagination when she is left behind while her siblings swim in the ocean.
Anderson, Sara. Octopus Oyster Hermit Crab Snail: A Poem of the Sea. Dive deep and discover the amazing colors, shapes and soothing rhythms of a mysterious and inviting underwater world.
Beardshaw, Rosalind. Grandma’s Beach. When Emily is disappointed because she and her mother cannot go to the beach, her grandmother comes up with a wonderful idea.
Berenstain, Stan. The Berenstain Bears Go on Vacation. The Berenstain Bears have a wonderful vacation at the seashore, playing on the beach, visiting a museum, eating, and going fishing.
Berry, Lynne. Duck Dunks. The reader is invited to count the ducks as they enjoy a day at the beach.
Blackstone, Stella. Octopus Opposites. Creatures big and small introduce pairs of opposites.
Bond, Micael. Paddington at the Beach. Paddington Bear heads to the beach and worries if he will be able to enjoy his bun as one seagull after another follows him in hopes of stealing his snack.
Brown, Margaret Wise. The Seashore Noisy Book. Muffin, a little dog with sharp ears, enjoys new sights, sounds, and experiences during a visit to the seashore.
Bunting, Eve. Mouse Island. Mouse enjoys living on his island but feels that something is missing from his life until the day he performs a daring rescue and acquires an unlikely friend.
Bunting, Eve. Whales Passing. A boy standing with his father on the shore watches five Orca whales and imagines them talking underwater in their star-dance light while the bubbles bubble up.
Calmenson, Stephanie. Hotter Than A Hot Dog. A little girl and her grandmother escape the city on a hot summer day by going to the beach.
Carle, Eric. A House for a Hermit Crab. A hermit crab who has outgrown his old shell moves into a new one, which he decorates and enhances with the various sea creatures he meets in his travels.
Carle, Eric. Mister Seahorse. After Mrs. Seahorse lays her eggs on Mr. Seahorse’s belly, he drifts through the water, greeting other fish fathers who are taking care of their eggs.
Catrow, David. Fun in the Sun. Illustrations and easy-to-read text relate a trip to the beach that features a man in a funny hat–or hat on a funny man, a sandy lunch and swimsuit, and a high-flying kite.
Clements, Andrew. Because Your Daddy Loves You. When things go wrong during a day at the beach, like a ball that drifts away or a gooey ice cream mess, a father could do a lot of things but always picks the loving one.
Cousins, Lucy. Maisy Goes on Vacation. Maisy the mouse and her friend Cyril go on vacation, where they stay at a hotel, play on the beach, and send postcards to their friends at home.
Crimi, Carolyn. There Might be Lobsters. A little dog’s paralyzing anxiety gives way to bravery when someone smaller arrives in need during a whooshy, splashy, overwhelming day at the beach.
Crum, Shutta. Uh-Oh! Two toddlers have a nearly-silent adventure at the beach.
Cumberbatch, Judy. Can You Hear the Sea? Sarah’s grandpa gives her a special shell and says if she listens carefully she can hear the sea, but all she hears are everyday village noises.
Cyrus, Kurt. The Voyage of Turtle Rex. Follows the life of a giant prehistoric sea turtle.
D’Amico, Carmela. Ella Sets Sail. When Ella the elephant goes to the carnival and loses her lucky hat in a storm, she learns a valuable lesson about the real meaning of luck.
Davies, Nicola. Dolphin Baby. Following his mother, a baby dolphin learns about life under the sea, from catching his first fish to developing his own unique whistle.
Dempsey, Kristy. Surfer Chick. The story of a little chick and her dad who take to the beach where he teaches her how to surf.
Docherty, Thomas. To the Beach. Looking out his window on a rainy day, one little boy imagines his way to the beach, traveling on a bicycle, a truck, a boat, a plane, and even a very friendly camel!
Donaldson, Julia. The Fish Who Cried Wolf. Tiddler the fish is always telling tall tales about why he is late for school, but when he is actually caught in a net and taken far from home, it is his stories that help him find his way back.
Donaldson, Julia. The Snail and the Whale. Wanting to sail beyond its rock, a tiny snail hitches a ride on a big humpback whale and then is able to help the whale when it gets stuck in the sand.
Elschner, Geraldine. Fritz’s Fish. Fritz, who longs to have a pet, captures a fish after the river floods his neighborhood, but must decide how long he can keep him in the apartment bathtub.
Elya, Susan Middleton. Bebé Goes to the Beach. A baby and his mother spend a day at the beach. Spanish words, interspersed in the rhyming text, are defined in a glossary.
Frasier, Debra. Out of the Ocean. A young girl and her mother walk along the beach and marvel at the treasures cast up by the sea and the wonders of the world around them.
Frazee, Marla. A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. Friends James and Eamon enjoy a wonderful week at the home of Eamon’s grandparents during summer vacation.
Gaiman, Neil. Chu’s Day at the Beach. Chu the Panda Goes to the Beach! Chu and his family are going to the beach! Chu is excited. He will get to play in the sand and wade in the water. But what will happen if Chu sneezes at the beach? And what will happen if he doesn’t?
Gall, Chris. Dinotrux Dig the Beach. Part-dinosaur, part-truck monsters called Dinotrux take a vacation to cool off at the beach, where they have to work together to build a sandcastle and to rescue a friend.
Geist, Ken. The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark. In a spoof of “The Three Little Pigs,” Jim Fish builds his house of seaweed and Tim Fish builds his house of sand, but Kim Fish smartly sets up house in an old sunken ship to keep the big bad shark from destroying it.
Grey, Mini. Three by the Sea. Cat, Dog, and Mouse live together contentedly in a cottage by the sea, dividing the work between them, until A. Stranger, Esq., a fox from the Winds of Change company, arrives and stirs up trouble.
Halfmann, Janett. Star of the Sea: A Day in the Life of a Starfish. Follows a starfish as she hunts for her morning meal and escape from danger with one less ray than before.
Harris, Trudy. Pattern Fish. Illustrations and rhyming text describe various patterns depicted by different fish. Includes related activities.
Hills, Tad. Duck & Goose Go to the Beach. Duck wants to go on an adventure. Goose doesn’t. He doesn’t see the point. After all, why would they go anywhere when they’re happy right where they are? But then Goose sees the ocean and loves it. Who doesn’t? Well, Duck, for one.
Hubbell, Patricia. Sea, Sand, Me! A young girl enjoys building sandcastles, splashing in the sea, and making a new friend during an afternoon at the beach.
Huneck, Stephen. Sally Goes to the Beach. Sally, a black Labrador retriever, goes to the beach, where she enjoys various activities with other visiting dogs.
Hurley, Jorey. Fetch. Illustrations and simple text follow a dog as it chases a ball at the beach.
Jay, Alison. Out of the Blue. When a giant octopus entangled in fishing line is washed ashore during a big storm and becomes stranded on the beach, a young boy and girl, assisted by various sea creatures, push and pull him back to sea.
Keller, Holly. Miranda’s Beach Day. Miranda and Mama spend a fun day at the beach building castles and catching sand crabs, and Miranda learns that just like the sand and the sea, she and her mother will always be together.
Kirk, Ellen. My Beach Book (Board book). Fun and facts for children from one of the most trusted names in learning: the Smithsonian Institution.
Kono, Erin Eitter. Caterina and the Best Beach Day. Caterina, a very organized brown bird, thinks she has the perfect plan to make sure she and her little brother Leo see a whale on their day at the beach.
Larsen, Andrew. The Not-So-Faraway Adventure. For Poppa’s birthday, Theo takes him on a trip to the beach, where they ride the rumbling streetcar, walk barefoot in the sand, and collect treasures along the shore.
Larsen, Andrew. See You Next Year! Each summer, a girl travels with her family to the same beachside resort, with everything being comfortably predictable, but this year, the pattern of her vacation changes when she meets a new friend.
Lee, Suzy. Wave. A wordless picture book that shows a little girl’s first experiences at the beach, as she goes from being afraid of the roaring waves to playing on the shore while gulls soar overhead.
Lester, Alison. Noni the Pony Goes to the Beach. In rhyming text, Noni the pony and her friends, Dave Dog and Coco the cat, spend the day at the beach.
Lies, Brian. Bats at the Beach. On a night when the moon can grow no fatter, bats pack their moon-tan lotion and baskets of treats and fly off for some fun on the beach.
Lionni, Leo. Swimmy. A little black fish in a school of red fish figures out a way of protecting them all from their natural enemies.
Lyon, George Ella. Boats Float. In rhyming text, the reader is introduced to all the different kinds of boats floating on rivers, lakes, oceans, and ponds.
MacDonald, Margaret Read. Surf War! A Folktale from the Marshall Islands. A bragging contest between Whale and Sandpiper turns into a battle over the beach and sea, until both parties realize that the beach and the sea, as well as sea creatures and shorebirds, are interdependent.
Malnor, Carol. On Kiki’s Reef. A green sea turtle hatches and grows up in the ocean, then moves to shallower water near a coral reef where she spends most of the rest of her life. Includes supplementary information about turtles, coral reef creatures, maps, and activities.
Malone, Cheryl Lawton. Dario and the Whale. When Dario and his mother move to Cape Cod from Brazil, Dario has a hard time making friends since he doesn’t speak English well. But one day Dario meets someone else who has just arrived in New England and he doesn’t speak any English at all, because he’s a right whale! Day after day Dario and the whale meet at the beach. But what will happen when it’s time for the whale to migrate?
Milbourne, Anna. Bunny on the Beach . Looking through the holes and turning the pages, readers can help bunny and her friends build a sandcastle.(Board book)
Nolan, Dennis. Sea of Dreams. A wordless picture book featuring a sandcastle that takes on a life of its own.
O’Neill, Alexis. Loud Emily. A little girl with a big voice who lives in a nineteenth-century whaling town finds a way to be useful and happy aboard a sailing ship.
Pallotta, Jerry. The Dory Story.While taking a bath with his new red toy dory, a boy imagines himself alone on the ocean getting a first-hand look at the ocean’s food chain.
Peck, Jan. Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea. A child explores the treasures of the deep blue sea from the safety of a bathtub.
Pfister, Marcus. Rainbow Fish. The most beautiful fish in the entire ocean discovers the real value of personal beauty and friendship.
Raczka, Bob. Summer Wonders. Illustrations and rhyming text celebrate the sights and sounds of summer, from days of diving and swimming to nights of stargazing and fireflies.
Rohmann, Eric. Clara and Asha. Young Clara would rather play with her imaginary giant fish, Asha, than settle down to sleep.
Roosa, Karen. Beach Day. Rhyming text describes a perfect day at the beach, complete with sandy knees, deviled eggs, and a castle with a moat.
Ryan, Pam Monez. Hello Ocean. Using rhyming text, a child describes the wonder of the ocean experienced through each of her five senses.
Sattler, Jennifer Gordon. Pig Kahuna. Fergus is afraid to go in the water, but he and his baby brother Dink find a surfboard while collecting treasures along the seashore.
Serafini, Frank. Looking Closely Along the Shore. Introduces things found on the seashore and invites young readers to guess the identity of each plant, animal, or object depicted, including gooseneck barnacles, coconut palms, and rocks.
Sherry, Kevin. I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean. A giant squid brags about being bigger than everything else in the ocean–almost.
Simmons, Jane. Ebb and Flo and the Baby Seal. Ebb finds a baby seal who is a long way from home, and it’s up to Ebb to help find her mother.
Soman, David. Ladybug Girl at the Beach. Lulu, who likes to wear a ladybug costume, goes to the beach for the first time and makes sand castles, flies kites, and deals with her fear of the ocean.
St. Pierre, Stephanie. What the Sea Saw. A lyrical introduction to the sea, its inhabitants, and its role in the world around it. Includes facts about the ecosystems of oceans and shorelines.
Stockdale, Susan. Fabulous Fishes. Introduces a variety of familiar and exotic fish using simple, rhyming text, including round fish, striped fish, and fish that leap and glide.
Stewart, Sarah. The Friend. With Mom too busy and Dad away much of the time, Belle finds companionship with a household employee who after each day’s work takes Belle “hand in hand” to the beach.
Walvoord, Linda. Razzamadaddy. A father and son spend a wonderful day together at the beach.
Watt, Melanie. Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach. As summertime approaches, Scaredy Squirrel, who only feels safe when he is at home in his nut tree, decides to build his own beach getaway complete with a germ-free inflatable pool and a plastic flamingo until the lure of the real beach gets too strong!
Weninger, Bridgitte. Miko Goes on Vacation. Miko the mouse likes going to the beach with his mother but does not know what to do with his toy animal, Mimiki when it is time for a swim.
White, Amanda. Sand Sister. When lonely Paloma goes to the beach and wishes that she had a sister to play with, the girl she draws in the sand comes magically alive, and at day’s end her parents give her the good news of a new baby on the way.
Wiesner, David. (Caldecott) Flotsam. The story of what happens when a camera becomes a piece of flotsam.
Wood, Audrey. Ten Little Fish. Ten little fish swim along an ocean reef, each finding a different reason to leave until there is only one left.
Beginning Readers
Berenstain, Stan. The Berenstain Bears’ Seashore Treasure. When the Bear family goes to the seashore, they find a map which they hope will lead them to buried treasure.
Bond, Michael. Paddington Sets Sail. Paddington visits the beach where he splashes in the ocean and builds a sand castle before being swept off in an adventure.
Dawson, Emily C. Ocean Animals. Compares common ocean animals and how they move through the water. Includes comprehension activity.
Dean, James. Pete at the Beach.Visiting the beach with his family, groovy Pete enjoys collecting shells and building a sand castle but resists going into the water or accepting a surfing from Bob, despite the hot weather.
De Groat, Diane. Gilbert, the Surfer Dude. Gilbert the opossum imagines himself as Surfer Dude on a fun-filled day at the beach.
Gorbachev, Valeri. Not Me! While Bear enjoys a day at the beach, Chipmunk, who is not a beach person, does not, suffering one mishap after another all in the interests of spending time with his good friend Bear.
Kittinger, Jo S. Going to the Beach. A family spends a day at the beach enjoying the water, sand, and sun.
McKay, Sindy. About the Ocean. Explores many aspects of the ocean environment, from coral reefs to deep seas to sandy shores and presents facts about life in the ocean, including dolphins, sharks, whales, starfish and much more.
Riley, J.D. Axel the Truck: Beach Race. Axel the truck may be little, but he has big wheels, a big heart, and a big appetite for adventure…Axel the truck heads to the beach for a sandy, salty, muddy, super-fun day that includes a race with the monster trucks…and some fast fish, too.
Scotton, Rob. A Whale of a Tale. Looking forward to a trip to the beach, where he hopes to find a seashell that will enable him to hear ocean sounds, Splat the Cat is frustrated by his inability to find anything but broken shells until he receives help from a special new friend.
Spohn, Kate. Turtle and Snake’s Day at the Beach. Turtle and Snake go to the beach, where they and some other animals participate in a sandcastle-making contest.
Suen, Anastasia. The Big Catch: A Robot and Rico Story. Robot and Rico are off to the beach. Rico wants to catch the biggest fish, but Robot may end up with the biggest surprise.
Wallace, Karen. A Day at Seagull Beach. A seagull flies over the sea looking for something before returning to its nest.
Illustrated Literature
Arnosky, Jim. Dolphins on the Sand. A dozen dolphins, led by their eldest member and her youngster, become stranded on a sandbar and must be helped to safety by humans.
Brenner, Barbara. One Small Place by the Sea. For one afternoon, a child visitor observes the cycle of change within a tidepool, a small place at the edge of the sea that is home to many plants and animals.
Curtis, Jennifer. Turtles in My Sandbox. A scrapbook journal explains the nesting cycle of loggerhead sea turtles and how volunteers help them, and describes the natural life along the southeastern coast, including local shore birds, shells, and the sea turtle hospital.
Hodgkins, Fran. Between The Tides. What happens to the denizens of the tidal zone when the sea recedes every 12 hours? This is the question that Hodgkins answers in a playful yet instructive way.
Jenkins, Steve. Down Down Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea. A top-to-bottom look at the ocean, from birds and waves to thermal vents and ooze.
McClure, Nikki. Waiting for High Tide. While waiting with family members for high tide to come in, a youngster who is very knowledgeable about the seashore and what lives there helps to build a raft.
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. What If? What if a boy found a beach ball and kicked it into the ocean? What if two seals found it and began to play? What if a third seal appeared on the beach looking for a friend? Enjoy this visit to the beach and the chance to guess what happens when different choices are made.
Yaccarino, Dan. The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau. Examines the life and accomplishments of the French oceanographer, and describes his work studying and filming the undersea world.
Non-Fiction
Rauen, Amy. J 513 Rau. Using Math Outdoors: Math at the Beach Is Fun! A visit to the beach provides the opportunity to count, to compare larger and smaller numbers of things, and to add.
Beckett-Bowman, Lucy. J 574.92 Bec. Seashore. Which fish can breathe on land? Why do some crabs have to live in other animal’s shells? This book contains fascinating facts about the seashore and the creatures that live there.
Johansson, Philip. J 577.699 Joh. The Seashore: A Saltwater Web of Life. Provides information about the biome of the seashore following the food web and flow of energy from sun to plants and animals.
Bulion Leslie. J 811.54 Bul. At the Sea Floor Café: Odd Ocean Critter Poems. This clever collection of poems celebrates how various creatures who live in the sea search for food, capture prey, and protect themselves and their young.
Coombes, Kate. J 811.54 Coo. Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems. Presents a collection of ocean poems that evokes the beauty and power, the depth and mystery, and the endless resonance of the sea.
Swinburne, Stephen R. J 811.54 Swi. Ocean Soup: Tide-Pool Poems. Playful poems and information about some of the creatures that live in Atlantic and Pacific Ocean tide pools.
