Summary: Fall is here, and so is a new friend! Monarch is making her way south before winter arrives, and she needs a safe place to rest. Owl, Mouse, Duck, Rabbit, Squirrel, Chickadee, and Raccoon are ready to lend a helping hand. Soon it’s time for Monarch to continue on her journey, but first a celebration of the season reminds everyone that even when things change, the friends will always have each other.
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An aquarium is opening soon in my area, and my sister and I already have plans to go. We’re so excited! Aquariums are places for people of all ages to learn, explore, and get to know many of the aquatic animals with whom we share planet Earth. My favorite things about aquariums, besides the animals, are the opportunities to support conservation efforts and the way in which people can find calm amongst the watery habitats, a little freedom from the stresses of life.
Picture books, both nonfiction and fiction, about the ocean, especially its creatures, are very popular with kids. In fact, many were published just this year (2026). Here I’ve shared six wonderful examples (with partial summaries from Goodreads or Amazon). Following the books, I’ve also shared (with the help of Finley Frog) six of my favorite aquatic animals, all incredible in their own way, that call oceans, rivers, and lakes home.
by Brooke Mcintyre and Gordy Wright (Illustrator)
Dive into this compelling, content‑rich nonfiction picture book and find yourself on an underwater adventure: a marine mission that takes you past reefs, beyond the near‑shore sea floor, down, down, down through the sunlight layer, the twilight layer, the midnight zone―all the way (as in seven miles!) down to the bottom of the ocean!
by Carole Boston Weatherford and Bagram Ibatoulline (Illustrator)
Inside glass tanks in crowded aquariums, jellies hold visitors rapt with their slow-motion water ballet. Most of the world’s nearly four thousand species emit an otherworldly light, glowing red, yellow, violet, or blue in the underwater dark. Fourteen wildly divergent poems—by turns dramatic and serene—pulse with life. From spreads of shimmering bioluminescence to graphic panels, stylish artwork blends poetry with science and fact with folklore and myth to form the ideal introduction to the “immortal” and mysterious jellyfish.
by Charlotte Offsay and Abi Cushman (Illustrator)
Deep beneath the waves, a pufferfish putters alone. A playful puffer in a quiet, nothing-much-happening ocean. Until…one small pop! sets off a chain of outrageous events, causing the whole ocean to have a very frazzled day indeed! Can the sea creatures find a way to bring quiet back to their underwater home?
by Jilanne Hoffmann and Khoa Le (Illustrator)
Plunge far below the ocean’s surface where billions of restless animals called zooplankton (including jellyfish) dwell in the Twilight Zone. Some are tiny, some enormous, and most are exquisitely beautiful. The setting sun cues their journey to surface waters for a midnight feast on trillions of tiny plants (and each other). It’s a daunting, perilous journey through predator-infested waters that transforms the dark ocean into a carnival of lights amidst a feeding frenzy in an eat before being eaten world. This nightly animal migration, the largest in the world, is vital to all life on Earth.
by Derick Wilder and Monika Filipina (Illustrator)
It’s a beautiful day to be living in the ocean. The sun is shining, and the water is a glorious blue. But wait . . . something big, something hungry, something menacing is approaching. It’s a great white shark! Luckily, there’s no reason for alarm. From ink-releasing cuttlefish to burrowing flounder to camouflaging leafy dragon, all the local sea creatures seem to have a way to hide from our hungry shark. Well, almost all.
by Michelle Schaub and Khoa Le (Illustrator)
Often called “the lungs of the sea,” seagrass meadows are found on every continent except Antarctica. Within this ecosystem is an abundance of marine life, including many species of fish, mammals, reptiles, and invertebrates. And beyond providing shelter and food for these inhabitants and visitors, seagrass plays an important role in the health of our planet. Seagrass lessens the effects of climate change and even helps filter out plastics and pollutants awash in the ocean. But this important ecosystem is under threat from many human activities. It’s time to pay attention to this vital space on Earth.
Amazing Aquatic Creatures
Amazon River Dolphins are born gray and turn pink as they mature with males tending to become pinker than females likely due to sparring with other males causing pink scar tissue to form.
Moon Jellies are a common species of prehistoric jelly fish that have survived on Earth for millions of years. Because they’re not strong swimmers, they go where the ocean currents take them. I guess you could say that they go with the flow.
Whale Sharks are considered the largest fish in the sea reaching up to 40 feet or more in length. Each shark has its own unique pattern of white spots and pale stripes.
Leafy Seadragons, closely related to seahorses but with longer snouts, are adorned with frilly appendages that resemble seaweed, which camouflages them and keeps them safe from predators.
Blue-ringed Octopuses, when threatened, display bright blue rings all over their bodies as a warning to predators. Though tiny in size, these octopuses are dangerous, with venom that’s 1000 times more potent than cyanide.
JapaneseKoi are a colorful variety of the common carp. These social fish can grow to be over 3 feet long and more than 25 pounds and live on average up to 40 years. The oldest-known koi ever recorded was named Hanako, meaning “flower child”, who lived to be 226 years old.
Girls reign in these two lovely picture books, each uniquely illustrated and overflowing with color and character (and animals!).
Harriet’s Reflections, written and illustrated by Marion Kadi, was originally published in France in 2021, but has since been published in the US, in 2024, by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. This unusual book earned starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and BookPage. The story starts on a sad note, the death of a lion, but soon turns light-hearted when we see that the lion’s reflection has a life all its own. The reflection, feeling bored, sets off in search of someone new in order to be their reflection and comes upon the spunky Harriet. Harriet accepts him, forgetting all about her own reflection, and, with a lion as her new reflection, Harriet heads off to school feeling more confident than ever. She has the best day, but, by the second day, things take a turn when her wild side takes over, getting her into trouble, and she begins to miss her old reflection. Now Harriet has to learn to balance two reflections, which we come to understand represent two sides of her personality.
There’s a subtle message here about self-reflectance, recognizing and accepting the different parts of ourselves. One day, we might feel confident, ready to take on the world, and the next, we might feel like being alone, and there’s nothing wrong with either. All people, kids included, experience changing moods and lots of big, or small, feelings, and no one has just one side. As quiet as the concept of self-reflectance may seem, the brightly colored acrylic illustrations in this book really jump off the page and are full of life and movement. Harriet’s classmates are a diverse group of children, and different animals can be seen throughout the book. You’ll want to spend some time “reflecting” on each page, as the pictures are imaginative and cleverly done. Marion Kadi did a fantastic job showing the “fluid” lion reflection in various puddles and mirrors.And the art on the endpapers is gorgeous!
Sourgrass, written by Hope Lim and illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani, was published by Beach Lane Books in 2024. This sweet story introduces readers to best friends Sofia and May who meet everyday at the gate that separates their two yards. Sometimes they play in Sofia’s yard and sometimes in May’s yard. Eventually, they discover the beautiful fields beyond their yards, which are spilling over with wild sourgrass flowers. They have even more fun playing in and racing through the fields and rolling down the yellow, flower-covered hills, until, one day, May moves away, leaving Sofia to play by herself, which, of course, just isn’t the same. But they keep in touch by letter, and that reassures Sofia that May will never forget her, that they will never forget each other and the days they spent playing together in the fields of sourgrass.
This is a story about friendship, about childhood, about a time when life was simple and days were spent playing, without worries or cares, until a life-changing event happens–your very best friend in the world moves away. Something like that can deeply affect a child. I mean, their whole world can be turned upside down. That’s why I like that Hope Lim chose to include the letter writing so the girls could keep in touch and have a long-distance friendship, which brings comfort to Sofia. And a little hint of happier days ahead is depicted on the last page. This book also has a lot going on in the art. Shahrzad Maydani’s chalk pastel and watercolor illustrations are so dreamy, colorful, yet blended and, at times, muted, perfectly expressing playful memories that melt together under the summer sun. The pictures are a feast for the eyes, inviting the reader to linger on each page. Kids will have a joyful time discovering the various animals “hidden” throughout and noticing that even Sofia and May’s stuffed animals seem to come alive.
Though different, these charming books have some similarities and would make a great pairing.Both are worthy of repeat readings, too, and I love how you can discover new animals with each new viewing!
A male African Lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles away.
Summary: A girl and her grandmother spend the day making mochi together in this gentle and joyous “storytelling treat” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) celebrating family, tradition, and the memories that matter most.
Do you have a children’s picture book coming out soon? I’d love to wish it a Happy Book Birthday here on Frog on a Blog! CLICK for more information.
Christmas is a mere 40 days away. How many of you have started your Christmas shopping? Or put up your holiday decorations? Maybe you prefer to wait until after Thanksgiving, at least? Or maybe you need a little help getting into the Christmas spirit this year? I get it. It’s been a rough year, and thinking about everything that’s going on in the world is overwhelming. But that’s exactly why we need books like Red & Green, a simple novelty picture book brimming with holiday cheer. This new classic is sure to put a smile on your face.
Excerpt from Lois Ehlert’s Red & Green:
It was a cold, wintry night, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…except a small mouse!
Written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert and published posthumously, Red & Green features an adorable take on the traditional holiday poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (or A Visit from St. Nicholas) attributed to American writer Clement Clarke Moore. Red & Green is filled with Lois Ehlert’s signature style–bold, graphic, colorful, collaged images–and die-cuts or flaps appear on almost every page. Kids will love the fun and festive pictures of trees, wreaths, snowmen, snowflakes, mittens, and, of course, the little mouse. The story follows the mouse as he wanders the house on Christmas Eve, delighting in the sparkling tree and the moon glowing on a jolly snowman outside the window. He soon finds a plate of cookies and helps himself to a snack. Just as he’s about to settle down for the night (inside a mitten hung by the fireplace), a mysterious figure dressed in red appears and wonders who could have eaten his sweet treat.
Image from Red & Green by Lois Ehlert
A great gift for little readers and sure to be a new Christmas favorite,Lois Ehlert’s Red & Green will help put the Ho Ho Ho back in Happy Ho-lidays and, hopefully, a little Merry back into your life. Cheers!
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