Going to the beach is an important part of our summer. Lazing on the beach, building sandcastles and going beach-combing and rock-pooling is something we really enjoy. The seashore is a great place to explore, you can find all kinds of creatures lurking in rock-pools and under rocks. Ahead of our beach holiday in Cornwall, we’ve been looking at books about the sea. Here are six of the best books about the seashore.
Six books about the Seashore
Secrets of the Seashore by Carron Brown is a wonderful “shine a light” book where you use a torch to reveal hidden detail in the illustrations. Spot the tiny shrimps hiding in the sand, see a shy crab underneath a rock and watch a jewel-like anemone open its tentacles in this gorgeously illustrated book of hidden habitats. It’s a lovely interactive way to discover more about the secrets of the seashore.
Sharing a Shell by Julia Donaldson. When Crab finds a new shell, he doesn’t want to share it with anyone – especially not a blobby purple anemone and a tickly bristleworm. But life in the rock pool proves tougher than Crab thinks and he soon finds he needs his new housemates. This Julia Donaldson book has a lovely rhythmic style and beautiful illustrations which makes this real favourite of ours.
Seashore Watcher by Maya Plass. What lives on the beach? What lives in the shallow water? Can you track a Fiddler Crab? Learn how to spot tracks, identify markings and discover secret hideaways at the seashore. This book is packed with fascinating facts and lots of activities. It even comes in a waterproof ziplock bag to keep it safe and dry during your seashore expeditions. This is a great seashore spotter guide.
The Seashore (Usborne Beginners) by Lucy Bowman. This is an essential book for Key Stage 1 readers, and jam-packed with age appropriate information about the seashore. Which fish can breathe on land? Why do some crabs live in other animals’ shells? And what happens when seabirds drink too much sea water? Find the answers to these questions, and much more in this great beginners guide.
Magic Beach by Alison Lester is something of a seaside classic. Filled with fun rhymes and make-believe stories, this wonderfully illustrated children’s tale invites you to imagine a perfect beach where you can swim, surf, splash through the waves, make sandcastles, hunt for treasures, explore rock-pools, muck about in boats, fish from the jetty, and build a bonfire under the stars.
A First Book of the Sea by Nicola Davies is a spellbinding collection of poems about the oceans of the world and their shores. With this book, children can swim alongside dolphins and flying fish, explore rockpools and sail from pole to pole and back, learning about everything from phosphorescence and plankton to manta rays and puffins. It’s a lovely, imaginative way to explore the oceans of the world.
If you enjoyed this, you might also like our round up of books about turtles and books about the environment.
