I am writing this list because I am a sea monster. I’m the sort of sea monster who loves merpeople, pirates, sharks, dolphins, octopuses, shipwrecks, and…did I miss anything? Oh yes, piranhas. Some people have pointed out that I look like a regular adult human, but really it’s just a trick of the light. I like to make stories, draw pictures, and build miniature environments for stop motion animated films. My typical day is spent gluing miniature flowers to miniature rocks, or screwing miniature chairs to miniature floors. It’s the sort of job that makes you feel like magic is around every corner. Because it is, probably.
I wrote...
Can I Give You a Squish?
By
Emily Neilson
What is my book about?
My book takes place in the warm waters of a kelp forest, where Kai, a little mer-boy, loves to give squishes! But not everyone is a fan of Kai’s spirited embrace, which he discovers soon after squishing a pufferfish, who swells up in fright! Kai feels awful; but with the help of his underwater friends, he figures out another way to show his affection, and then everyone demonstrates their preferred ways of being greeted. Because, as Kai realizes, “Every fish likes their own kind of squish.”
What I see in each of the books on this list is everything I could possibly have hoped to put into mine--magical underwater adventures, wonderful world-building, and best of all: compelling and lovable characters.
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The Books I Picked & Why
The Rainbow Fish
By
Marcus Pfister
Why this book?
I remember this story from when I was little. I would stroke the shiny
scales with my fingers and admire the octopus in his cave. Little me couldn’t
believe the fish would give away his scales! Didn’t he want to keep them all?
The message about the happiness that comes with generosity was certainly one I
needed to hear...repeatedly.
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Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas
By
Aaron Blabey
Why this book?
This book is so delightfully silly! Poor little Brian tries to convince
the other piranhas that they’d probably love to try some fruit—but alas, they
would rather eat feet, or knees, or…well…bum! It’s definitely a book that feeds
your inner sea monster!
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Flotsam
By
David Wiesner
Why this book?
Flotsam is another I remember from childhood. I could look at the
illustrations forever. Wiesner’s wordless masterpiece guides the reader through
the most imaginative journey. And the images have such staying power! I still
think about them so many years later.
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Pearl
By
Molly Idle
Why this book?
This book has this soft slow kind of magic that would be wonderful for
winding down right before bedtime. The images flow through the book and guide
you down into the colorful glowing depths where a family of mermaids guard the
secrets of the sea. The message is lovely as well. Little Pearl the mermaid
discovers that even the smallest of responsibilities, when nurtured properly,
can grow to be hugely impactful.
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Oona
By
Kelly DiPucchio,
Raissa Figueroa
Why this book?
It’s impossible not to fall head over heels in love with the little
mermaid explorer Oona and her sea otter friend Otto. The adorable duo was
created by illustrator Raissa Figueroa who has this amazing ability to make all
her characters completely irresistible and her environments rich with
atmospheric colors and magical details. I can’t wait to see what adventures
Oona and Otto go on next!