Make a Splash: Read!
Books for Younger Readers: Grades 1 - 3

Agee, Jon. Terrific.
“Terrific,” says Eugene when he wins an all-expenses-paid cruise to Bermuda. “I’ll probably get a really nasty sunburn.” But Eugene’s luck is much worse than that. His ship sinks, and he ends up stranded on an island. E AGE

Anderson, M.T. The Serpent Came to Gloucester.
Rhyming text tells of a sea serpent that plays off the coast of Massachusetts during the summer of 1817 and is hunted upon its return the next year. GOLDSTAR AND

Anderson, Sara. Octopus Oyster Hermit Crab Snail: A Poem of the Sea.
Build vocabulary with lyrical, beautiful verses, such as, “Under indigo swells in cerulean seas” in this magical picture book. E AND

Arnosky, Jim. All about Manatees.
Arnosky shows how manatees grow and live, answering kids’ biggest questions about them. E 599.55 ARN

Arnosky, Jim. Beachcombing: Exploring the Seashore.
Illustrations and text describe some of the many things that can be found on a walk along a beach, including coconuts, shark teeth, jellyfish, crabs, and different kinds of shells. J 578.769 ARN

Arnosky, Jim. Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird-watching, Shore Walking.
An ordinary hike becomes an eye-opening adventure with Jim Arnosky as he shares a wealth of tips for watching wildlife and identifying plants and animals. J 508 ARN

Arnosky, Jim. Watching Water Birds.
Provides a personal look at various species of fresh- and saltwater birds, including loons, mergansers, mallards, Canada geese, gulls, and herons. J 598.07 ARN

Bennett, Kelly. Not Norman, A Goldfish Story.
As a boy attempts to convince someone else to take his disappointing pet, he learns to love Norman the goldfish himself. E BEN

Berne, Anne. Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau.
A biography of oceanographer and champion of the seas, Jacques Cousteau. E-B COSTEAU

Blade, Adam. Sepron the Sea Serpent.
Tom and Elenna must stop Sepron the Sea Serpent from destroying the people of Avantia’s coast. J-PBK BLA

Branley, Franklyn M. Down Comes the Rain.
Simple, effective explanations of scientific concepts for kids. This nicely illustrated, inviting book introduces the water cycle and hands-on activities to try. E 551.577 BRA

Corral, Kimberly. A Child’s Glacier Bay.
Two Alaskan siblings travel with their parents on a three-week sea kayaking journey along more than 200 miles of coastline at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. J 917.98 COR

Fleischman, Sid. Here Comes McBroom.
Share the tall tale, “McBroom the Rainmaker.” J FLE

George, Jean Craighead. Fire Storm.
Alex enjoys kayaking behind the raft of his aunt and uncle as they journey down Idaho’s Salmon River, until they find themselves in the middle of a forest fire. E GEO

Graham, Joan Bransfield. Splish Splash.
Fun, brightly illustrated concrete poems about water in its various forms, from ice cubes to the ocean. J 811 GRA

Hatkoff, Isabella. Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship.
The story of an orphaned baby hippo named Owen and the 130- year-old giant turtle, Mzee, who became friends after the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. E 599.635 HAT

Holm, Jennifer. Babymouse, Beach Babe.
After finishing her last day of school for the year, Babymouse and her family go on vacation at the beach. Graphic novel format. J-GRAPHIC HOL

Jaffe, Nina. The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico.
Illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez, this pourquoi story explains how water came into our world and how Puerto Rico came to be. J 398.2 JAF

Katz, Alan. Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs.
Well-known songs, like “Oh Susannah” and “Row Row Row Your Boat,” are presented with new words and titles, such as “I’m So Carsick , “Go Go Go to Bed.” J 782.42 KAT

Kerley, Barbara. A Cool Drink of Water.
Stunning photographs and simple text show people around the world drinking water. Includes a map and a note on conservation. J 333.91 KER

Kurtz, Kevin. A Day in the Salt Marsh.
Rhyming verse introduces readers to hourly changes in the salt marsh as the tide comes and goes. E 577.69

LaMarche, Jim. The Raft.
Reluctant Nicky spends a wonderful summer with Grandma who introduces him to the joy of rafting down the river near her home and watching the animals along the banks. E LAM

Levine, Shar, and Leslie Johnstone. Bathtub Science.
Photos and cartoon drawings illustrate this collection of water experiments from simple to complicated. J 507.8 LEV

Markle, Sandra. Octopuses.
Detailed, energetic text and vivid photographs reveal the fascinating world of the octopus. J 594.56 MAR

Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. Snowflake Bentley.
In this Caldecott Medal book, Martin and Azarian offer a dreamy and lyrical, yet informative, version of Bentley’s lifelong love affair with snow. E-B BENTLEY

Mitton, Tony. Down by the Cool of the Pool.
Frog and the other animals have a dancing good time both in and out of the water in the cool of the pool. E MIT

Morrison, Gordon. A Drop of Water.
Follow water’s journey from rain through mountain brook, waterfall, bog, river, swamp, and stream, nourishing plants and animals along the way. E 508 MOR

Murphy, Bryan. Experiment with Water.
Bits of history and brightly colored photos enhance this collection of water experiments. E 532 MUR

Osborne, Mary Pope. Summer of the Sea Serpent.
Jack and Annie travel in their magic tree house to the land of the mystical selkies to seek a magical sword for Merlin. J-FAN OSB

Prelutsky, Jack. A Pizza the Size of the Sun.
A classic collection of Prelutsky poetry, including “I’m Wrestling with an Octopus.” J 811.54 PRE

Serafini, Frank. Looking Closely along the Shore.
Stunning close-up photographs of things one might find along the shore challenge children to guess their identity. E 577.69 SER

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. E 428 SPO

Wells, Robert E. Did a Dinosaur Drink this Water?
Picture book introduces the water cycle. E 553.7 WEL

Wick, Walter. A Drop of Water.
Great photos are the highlight of this oversized book that illustrates the properties of water. J 546 WIC