Ocean and deep-sea books for children who love underwater worlds

The ocean is wonderfully strange. It is home to glittering fish, hidden depths, submarines, coral reefs, whales, sharks, tiny creatures and animals that look as if they have swum in from another planet. For curious children, underwater worlds are full of possibilities.

These Usborne ocean books give children lots of ways to explore the sea, from first questions and peep-inside books to stickers, pop-ups, magic colour, deep-sea creatures and comic-style non-fiction. Whether a child is fascinated by sea animals, curious about submarines or beginning to think about caring for our oceans, there is a book to help them dive in.

Start with first ocean questions

For very young question-askers, Very First Questions and Answers: How deep is the sea? is a wonderful introduction to one of the biggest mysteries of the ocean. With lift-the-flap pages and simple explanations, it helps children discover just how deep the sea can be.

Who’s in the Ocean Today? is another gentle way to explore ocean animals. Children can look, guess and discover which creatures are hiding or swimming through the pages.

For children who enjoy peeking into detailed scenes, Peep Inside the Deep Ocean offers a fascinating look beneath the waves. Peep Inside How a Submarine Works introduces underwater exploration from a different perspective, showing children how submarines help people travel and discover the deep sea.

Make the ocean interactive

Some children love books that invite them to create, colour and explore. That’s not my... Under the Sea Activity Book brings an under-the-sea theme to the much-loved That’s not my... world, with activities designed for young children.

For children who enjoy adding their own touches to pages, First Sticker Book Ocean Animals lets them discover and place colourful sea creatures, while Magic Colour Under the Sea creates an underwater colouring adventure.

Magic Paper Under the Sea is another creative choice, giving children the chance to make colourful ocean-themed pictures. These activity books are ideal for children who enjoy making choices, getting hands-on and returning to favourite pages again and again.

Discover weird and wonderful deep-sea creatures

For children fascinated by the strangest parts of the ocean, Big Sticker Book Weird Deep Sea Creatures is a brilliant way to explore unusual animals from the deepest parts of the sea. The deep ocean is full of creatures that look surprising and mysterious, and stickers give children a fun way to discover them.

Children who enjoy collecting facts will love Lots of Things to Know About Seas and Oceans. Packed with fascinating information, it is a great choice for children who like dipping in and discovering something new on every page.

Explore pop-ups, submarines and ocean engineering

Some children are drawn to books that move, unfold and surprise them. Pop-up Ocean brings underwater scenes to life through clever paper engineering, making it a memorable way to explore ocean habitats.

For children who are curious about machines and exploration, Peep Inside How a Submarine Works is also great for connecting ocean discovery with technology. It helps children understand how submarines work and how people explore places that are difficult to reach.

Explore ocean life through visual non-fiction

For older readers, 24 Hours under the Ocean offers a comic-style non-fiction journey beneath the waves. Following a day underwater, children can discover ocean life through engaging scenes, facts and visual storytelling.

It is a great choice for children who enjoy learning through stories and illustrations while exploring the animals and environments found below the surface.

Talk about looking after the ocean

As children begin asking bigger questions about the natural world, Lift-the-Flap Looking After Our Ocean introduces the importance of caring for our seas in an accessible way.

The lift-the-flap format helps children explore ideas about ocean habitats, pollution and the ways people can help protect marine environments. Parents and carers can use the book as a starting point for conversations about looking after the planet together.

Which ocean book should you choose first?

For toddlers and nursery-aged children, try That’s not my... Under the Sea Activity Book, Very First Questions and Answers: How deep is the sea?, Peep Inside the Deep Ocean, Who’s in the Ocean Today?, First Sticker Book Ocean Animals, Magic Colour Under the Sea or Magic Paper Under the Sea.

For children who love dramatic visuals, choose Pop-up Ocean. For unusual creatures, explore Big Sticker Book Weird Deep Sea Creatures. For fact lovers, Lots of Things to Know About Seas and Oceans is full of discoveries.

Children interested in machines and exploration may enjoy Peep Inside How a Submarine Works, while older readers who like comic-style non-fiction can dive into 24 Hours under the Ocean. For children beginning to ask questions about protecting marine life, Lift-the-Flap Looking After Our Ocean is a thoughtful next step.

The ocean is enormous, but the best way in can be very small: a flap to lift, a sticker to place, a creature to spot, a submarine to peek inside or one brilliant question about how deep the sea really goes.

Discover more ocean adventures with Usborne

Explore Usborne ocean books and find the right underwater adventure for the curious children in your life.