The Literacy Classroom
Improving, inspiring and supporting
English teaching and learning
Under the Sea
The Coral Kingdom
by Laura Knowles, illustrated by Jennie Webber
From brightly coloured corals to shimmering shoals of fish, the diversity of life on a coral reef is celebrated in this visually stunning picture book with a strong ecological message about the need to protect this most precious of environments.
Through gentle rhyme and intricately etched artwork, it explores the life cycle, diversity and colour of the coral reef ecosystem, as well as the threats the reef faces and what we can do to save it. With each page packed full of delightful sea creatures to discover and enjoy, this is a lyrical and engaging way to learn about the life cycle of a coral reef.
Little Whale
by Jo Weaver
Told through the eyes of a whale and her calf, this mesmerisingly beautiful book is a story of migration, family and the strength of parental love.
Little Whale has never seen the cold, rich waters of the north. She and her mother travel from the warm southern ocean, passing coral reefs, kelp forests and shoals of shimmering fish – with her mother guiding her and protecting her all the way home.
With the evocative charcoal drawings shot through with blue, and the lyrical storytelling, Jo Weaver’s story has the feel of an instant classic, celebrating the tender relationship between parent and child.
Jo’s previous book, Little One, was longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2016.
Tiddler
by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
The smallest fish can tell the tallest tales … “Sorry I’m late, Miss. I set off really early but on the way to school I was captured by a squid. I wriggled and I struggled till a turtle came and rescued me.” “Oh, no, he didn’t.” “OH, YES, HE DID.” Tiddler is a little fish with a BIG imagination! What ever will he come up with next?
Mister Seahorse
by Eric Carle
A stunning picture book from Eric Carle about Mister Seahorse and other ‘male mothers’, with special acetate pages that hide fish behind rocks and reeds. As he floats through the sea, Mister Seahorse meets a Mr Stickleback, Mr Tilapia, Mr Kurtus and many other fish fathers caring for their eggs and babies in the most surprising ways.
Dolphin Boy
by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Michael Foreman
Jim lives in a fishing village – but no-one goes fishing any more as all the fish have gone. One day, Jim spots a dolphin beached on the sand. He runs to get help, and everyone works together to return the dolphin to the water. Afterwards, the dolphin stays in the harbour, playing with the swimmers – and he even carries Jim on his back! Then the dolphin disappears, and everyone is so sorrowful they take out a boat to find him. Suddenly the sea is boiling with dolphins leaping out of the sea! They have come to stay – and the village comes to life with tourists, mended boats, and dolphins!
The Whales' Song
by Dyan Sheldon, illustrated by Gary Blythe
Lily's grandmother tells her all about the mysterious whales out in the bay, and Lily longs to hear their magical song. Gary Blythe's richly evocative artwork creates an incredibly atmospheric world for a timeless tale of wildlife and wonder.
This stunning, award-winning picture book has been refreshed and redesigned in a new edition, making it perfect for a new generation to share and fall in love with.
The Shark in the Dark
by Peter Bently, illustrated by Ben Cort
Will the flustered fish become saltwater snacks, or can they come up with a plan to teach the mean, greedy shark a lesson he’ll never forget? With atmospheric underwater scenes and a terrifically toothy villain, this captivating rhyming story is perfect for reading aloud.
Tremendously funny – with a biting twist!
Manfish: A Story of Jaques Cousteau
by Eoin Colfer
Before Jacques Cousteau became an internationally known oceanographer and champion of the seas, he was a curious little boy. In this lovely biography, poetic text and gorgeous paintings combine to create a portrait of Cousteau that is as magical as it is inspiring. This moving tribute to the great nautical observer and filmmaker is shot through with an authentically childlike sense of adventure and the thrill of discovery, and is certain to inspire fresh interest in discovering, and in caring for, our world’s wonders.
The Secret of Black Rock
by Joe Todd Stanton
Erin loves to lie on the jetty, looking for the weirdest fish in the sea -- the weirder, the better! And she knows the best ones must be further out, where her mum won't let her go ...Out there in the deepest sea lies the Black Rock: a huge, dark and spiky mass that is said to destroy any boats that come near it! Can Erin uncover the truth behind this mysterious legend?
Dougal's Deep Sea Diary
by Simon Bartram
The follow-up to Man on the Moon, featuring Bob's cousin Dougal, who shares the family trait of being unable to see what's going on behind his back. Count the hidden mermaids and mermen guiding Dougal on his search for the lost city of Atlants. Man on the Moon was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award in 2003
Song of the Dolphin Boy
by Elizabeth Laird
Finn has always been different, and in the tiny fishing village of Stromhead he sticks out like a sore thumb. Always told to keep away from the water, he's felt that something was missing until one day he dives in and finds that, swimming with the dolphins, he feels completely at home.
But his new friends are in danger of being injured by the rubbish that floats out into the water - and now a supermarket is going to release thousands of balloons that could drift out to sea and cause even more damage. Desperate to help the dolphins, Finn goes to the Lighthouse Crew, a group of kids who have always left Finn out. Will they be able to set aside their differences to save the dolphins? And what will Finn discover about his past along the way?
A moving adventure about the impact of plastic pollution on our seas, and the campaigning power of friendship from the award-winning Elizabeth Laird, illustrated by Peter Bailey.
'Song of the Dolphin Boy is such a beautiful, important, heartfelt book. I loved every page' Lauren St John
'A lively and inspiring tale of village life and the dangers to wildlife of releasing balloons' The Sunday Times
Flotsam
by David Wiesner
A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam-anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share . . . and to keep.