Books, resources, and literacy support for reading levels that grow with your child
 
April 2026
 
     This month we turn our literacy support focus to writing. Reading and writing are closely linked, often using similar common knowledge and cognitive processes. Having children write about what they read by taking notes, writing summaries, or answering questions can teach paragraph and sentence structure, and spelling! Increasing the amount of writing kiddos, particularly 3rd graders and older, do enhances reading comprehension and the ability to read accurately and fluently according to a report from the Alliance for Excellent Education.
 
     Now let's check out some under the sea books at each of our reading levels!
 
 
Books about Under the Sea
 
Phonics Readers
For brand-new readers making connections between letter sounds.
Dee the seal by Taryn Painter
Dee the Seal
by Taryn Painter

What will Dee the seal do when she meets a beast in the sea? This book focuses on the vowel teams ee and ea.
 
Check out more great decodables here.
Catch a Fish by Charis Mather
Catch a Fish
by Charis Mather


Have you ever gone fishing? You need the correct tools and a bit of luck. The phonemes /er/ar/ are featured in this title. Catch a Fish is part of Decodables by Jump!, a comprehensive library of decodable leveled readers that follow a sequenced approach to phonics instruction.
 
Want more great decodables read-alongs? Check out them out here.
Four Fish: The Sound of F by Alice K. Flanagan
Four Fish: The Sound of F
by Alice K. Flanagan

Simple text and repetition of the letter 'f' help readers learn how to use this sound.
 
Practice your "f" sounds with My "f" Sound Box and the other great offerings found here.
Emergent Readers
For readers working on recognizing and blending words to make simple sentences.
Otter: Hello, Sea Friends! by Sam Garton
Otter: Hello, Sea Friends!
by Sam Garton

Otter Keeper is taking me and Teddy on a trip to visit sea friends. I am going to meet all the animals that live in the ocean. I wonder which one will be my favorite?
 
Check out more of Otter's adventures here.
Friends Are Forever (Disney/Pixar Luca) by Random House Disney
Friends Are Forever
by Random House Disney

Luca shares summertime adventures eating gelato, and riding scooters with his new friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water's surface.
 
Checl out the e-book read-along on Hoopla.
Oslo Learns to Swim: Ready-To-Read Level 1 by Doug Cushman
Oslo Learns to Swim
by Doug Cushman

Rex the warthog and Oslo the oxpecker bird are friends who do everything together. But when Rex wants to go swimming, Oslo objects! The water looks cold and wet. There might be sharks. Will Rex be able to help Oslo overcome his fears and join in the fun?
 
Check out more Ready-to-Read books here.
Early Readers
For readers starting to read on their own with longer sentences and more advanced storylines.

DK Super Readers Pre-Level Save the Sea Turtles by Dk
Save the Sea Turtles
by Dk

Learn all about different kinds of sea turtles, from the smallest to the biggest, and how we can all help to keep their marine environment clean and safe.
 
Check out more Super Readers here.
A House for Hermit Crab/Ready-To-Read Level 2 by Eric Carle
A House for Hermit Crab
by Eric Carle

Hermit Crab grows out of one house after another as he searches for the perfect home. Filled with whimsy and wisdom--and based on the true behaviors of the hermit crab--this modern classic features Eric Carle's trademark vibrant collage illustrations and lively text.
 
Check out more Beginning Readers by Eric Carle here.
DK Super Readers Level 1 Diving Dolphin by Dk
Diving Dolphin
by Dk

Join a young dolphin on an exciting ocean adventure! See it twirl and leap in the water, catch fish, and escape from hungry orcas.
 
Check out more dolphin Beginning Readers here.
Transitional Readers
For newly independent readers with basic chapters and genres as they build reading confidence.
The World of Emily Windsnap: The Truth about Aaron by Liz Kessler
The Truth About Aaron
by Liz Kessler

Aaron wishes he were special like his best friends, Emily Windsnap and Shona Silkfin, but nothing exciting ever happens at his castle in the middle of the ocean. That is, until a massive, mysterious ship docks at the castle and all the crew members are suspiciously interested in Aaron's trident pendant.
 
Catch up on the rest of the Emily Windsnap series here. Prefer and ebook or audiobook? Find other formats on Libby!
Poppy the Pirate Dog by Liz Kessler
Poppy the Pirate Dog
by Liz Kessler

Poppy the dalmatian can't wait to go on a seaside vacation with her family. And when they tie a skull-and-crossbones scarf around her neck, she's sure a pirate's life of adventure on the open seas awaits. But to be a pirate dog, Poppy must find her perfect pirate ship. Unfortunately, boats bob up and down a lot. Waves splash over the side. Strange creatures live in the water. After trying -- and failing -- to be a brave pirate dog, Poppy has almost given up. Will she manage to find her pirate ship before the family heads back home?
 
Check out more pirate books here.
Making Waves: A Branches Book (Layla and the Bots #4) by Vicky Fang
Making Waves
by Vicky Fang

Layla and the Bots visit the Surfside Rescue Center, where they meet a dolphin named Splash, who will only eat when the music is playing, but is very picky about the music--so Layla and the Bots build a machine that uses the sound waves Splash communicates with to change the music.
 
Catch up on the rest of Layla and the Bot's adventures here.
Just for Caregivers
Books to help with at-home learning to read support.
Literacy Workshop: Where Reading and Writing Converge by Maria Walther
Literacy Workshop: Where Reading and Writing Converge
by Maria Walther

The Literacy Workshop: Where Reading and Writing Converge is a first-of-its-kind resource that offers a practical process for creating an integrated literacy workshop using demonstration lessons that align with current curriculum standards.
 
Learn more about reading readiness with The Invisible Toolbox.
The Science of Reading: The Brain Science, Language Development, and Phonemic Awareness Behind the Movement by Dk
The Science of Reading: The Brain Science, Language Development, and Phonemic Awareness Behind the Movement
by Dk

How we learn to read is not a secret formula, it's a science. More than five decades of research conducted across the world informs the Science of Reading. Journey through essential reading skills, from foundational elements like phonemic awareness and phonics to advanced aspects like decoding, sight recognition, and fluency development. Gain practical insights into comprehension challenges and the complexities of addressing dyslexia. Additionally, the book explores the concept of reading ages, offering a pragmatic understanding of the Science of Reading.
 
Learn more about teaching children with disabilities how to read with Comprehensive Literacy for All: Teaching Students with Significant Disabilities to Read and Write.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Handley Regional Library System
100 W Piccadilly St
Winchester, VA 22601
(540) 662-9041

https://www.handleyregional.org/
Facebook Instagram LinkedIn