SRC 2026 for Kids 0-5

Dive under the sea and explore these books during the Summer Reading Club! The Summer Reading Club is open to anyone 0-14. Sign up at any GVPL branch on or after June 19th. Discover board books, picturebooks, and non-fiction books all about the ocean and deep sea! Age recommendations are just a guide, not rules! Every reader is different, and the best book for you is the one you enjoy.

Updated June 16, 2026
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Greater Victoria Public Library Greater Victoria Public Library
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SRC 2026 for Kids 0-5

Dive under the sea and explore these books during the Summer Reading Club! The Summer Reading Club is open to anyone 0-14. Sign up at any GVPL branch on or after June 19th. Discover board books, picturebooks, and non-fiction books all about the ocean and deep sea! Age recommendations are just a guide, not rules! Every reader is different, and the best book for you is the one you enjoy.

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Over and under the coral reef
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Discover the colorful wonder of the Caribbean in this fascinating and beautiful exploration of the coral reef from the New York Times bestselling author and award-winning illustrator of the beloved Over and Under series! Part of the...

Primary non-fiction

What dwells in the deep?
Ward-Wills, Kelly
Paper Book
Deep-sea exploration can begin at even the earliest age . . . Let's go deeper!  What animals live in the deepest depths of the ocean? This book brings these rarely seen creatures--some that glow, some that hunt more than a...

Board book

The sea knows
McGinty, Alice B.
Paper Book
Dive in and explore the wonders of the ocean and its inhabitants in this lyrical, fact-filled ode to the sea! This beautifully illustrated picture book features extensive nonfiction backmatter for further exploration. We are young. The sea is old. The sea has secrets to unfold...

Picturebook

Minnow : the girl who became part fish
Poll, Willie
Paper Book
A young Indigenous water protector named Minnow goes on an underwater journey; learning from our ocean-living relatives. When she returns to the surface, she gathers her community to help make a change.This story is told in lyrical rhyme and helps children gain a better respect for Indigenous water...

Picturebook; Indigenous author

Deep underwater
Luxbacher, Irene
Paper Book
"Masterful artwork and nuanced verse invite readers to hold their breath and dive deep." Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW Sophia bravely dives down to discover the secrets under the sea. She encounters beautiful fish and floating forests. Farther down, the dark water is full of tentacles and...

Picturebook

Not quite narwhal
Sima, Jessie
Paper Book
This New York Times bestseller is soon to be an animated series on Netflix! In the tradition of Uni the Unicorn and Gaston, this heartwarming and adorable debut picture book tells the story of a young unicorn who was born under the sea to a family of...

Picturebook

Don't worry, Little Crab
Haughton, Chris
Paper Book
From the award-winning creator of Shh! We Have a Plan comes a vibrantly colorful story about mustering the courage to try something new. Little Crab and Very Big Crab live in a tiny rock pool near the sea. Today they're going for a dip in the big ocean. "This is going to...

Picturebook

Milo is missing something
Kousky, Vern
Paper Book
In this rhythmic, lively read-aloud for the youngest children, a little octopus named Milo is searching the ocean for something he's missing. What could it be? The ocean world is strange and new. The coral reefs so colorful. The deep sea caves are...

Picturebook

One day at the bottom of the deep blue sea
Bernstrom, Daniel
Paper Book
A clever little girl outsmarts a silly hungry shark in this rhyming underwater read-aloud romp-perfect for ages 3-7. A clever little girl "with a net for catching pearls" meets a shark who wants nothing more than to eat her for dinner. Diving into these gorgeous pages, readers...

Picturebook

What about an octopus? : a fact-filled underwater adventure
Kerbel, Deborah
Paper Book
On a visit to the ocean, a curious little girl goes searching for a seashell and meets a new eight-armed friend While at the ocean, a curious young girl goes searching for a seashell and finds an octopus friend instead. The encounter turns into an afternoon full of play and discovery. From...

Picturebook

1, 2, 3 Salish Sea : a Pacific Northwest counting book
McClure, Nikki
Paper Book
From one to ten and well beyond, explore the Salish Sea in this visually striking, high-concept counting primer. Acclaimed West Coast artist Nikki McClure uses a single piece of paper and an X-ACTO knife to create her simple yet exquisite images. Whether it's one stubby squid or one...

Picturebook

This book is dangerous!
Clanton, Ben
Paper Book
Take the plunge into this interactive picture book spin-off of the bestselling Narwhal and Jelly series starring everyone's favorite anxious jellyfish. Help Jelly attempt to safely navigate through the dangerous ocean and this book -- with hilarious results! Features a glow-in-the...

Picturebook

Oona
DiPucchio, Kelly
Paper Book
This comical and heartfelt picture book is a winning celebration of invention, creativity, and friendship. With gorgeous underwater scenes and a crowd-pleasing tale, this is one little mermaid who is here to make a splash!  New York Times bestselling author Kelly DiPucchio and...

Picturebook

A Is for anemone a first West Coast alphabet
Vickers, Roy Henry
Paper Book
With crisp, luminous illustrations by celebrated Indigenous artist Roy Henry Vickers, and a simple rhythmic text, this sturdy board book introduces the alphabet using iconic imagery of the West Coast, creating a book that will be cherished by young readers and their families. Starting with...

Board book; Indigenous author

O is for ocean
Paprocki, Greg
Paper Book
Learn with your toddler from A to Z about our amazing oceans and what kinds of plants, animals, and fun things we can find under the water. An engaging collection of illustrations teaching children all about the plants, animals, and features of our beautiful oceans. Entries take...

Board book

Mister Seahorse's ocean friends a touch-and-feel book
Carle, Eric
Paper Book
Join Mister Seahorse and his ocean friends in this touch-and-feel adventure! Greet a new friend with each turn of the page as you explore the ocean with Mister Seahorse. Interactive text encourages young readers to feel and think about each texture they encounter, and Eric Carle...

Board book

Ocean a peek-through board book
Hegarty, Patricia
Paper Book
From bestselling series that began with Tree: A Peek-Through Picture Book comes an elaborate and beautiful children's book with peek-through holes that show the amazing life in the world's oceans. Discover a world teeming with life beneath the waves, with graceful sea...

Board book

Baby Dinosaur under the sea
Buller, Laura
Paper Book
Join Baby Dinosaur on her first swimming adventure as she discovers that everyone can succeed in their own way. DK invites you on a fun-filled journey with the lovable Baby Dinosaur, a thrill-seeking explorer with a heart of gold, as she sets out on an underwater adventure. ...

Board book

We are friends. Under the sea
Downing, Sue
Paper Book
This beautiful board book about friendships and ocean life shows curious kids that everyone needs a friend, even the starfish and seahorses! Everyone has a friend. The seahorse is friends with the octopus, and the fish is friends with the starfish. Even the seashells have...

Board book

What goes in the ocean? a seek-and-find book
Elys, Dori
Paper Book
Dive into various ocean habitats to find what should go in and what should stay out in this nonfiction board book sure to make a splash with curious young minds! Soaring manta rays wave hello. Schools of fish, clams, and grazing turtles. A puffer fish...

Board book

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