Book List: Books for Sea Week


Sea Week is coming up next month so editor Linda Jane has put together an ocean-themed list, with non-fiction books covering from the shore to the deep sea.

Look, I love any excuse to talk about both nature and books so obviously nature books are my favourite combo. Please enjoy this selection of beach and ocean books, some new and some not-so-new.

The New Zealand Seashore Guide

By Sally Carson & Rod Morris

Potton & Burton (2022)

RRP: $49.99

Buy now

This is an excellently designed photographic guide to New Zealand’s seashore, with species grouped by type. The larger format compared to the original (Collins, 2017) really does justice to the images which are clear and bright with plenty of close-ups. Although not specifically aimed at children, it’s an excellent guide for the whole family.


Whiti: Colossal Squid of the Deep

Written by Victoria Cleal & illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White

Te Papa Press (2020)

RRP: $29.99

Buy now

I love this. This is the book that made me ask Isobel Joy Te Aho-White to illustrate one of mine (release forthcoming). It’s a fabulous deep dive (see what I did there) into the life and habitat of a colossal squid – an excellent piece of creative non-fiction. You can read out review of it here.


Tohorā: The Southern Right Whale

Written & illustrated by Ned Barraud

Potton & Burton (2019)

RRP: $29.99

Buy now

There’s no denying that Ned Barraud is very good at what he does. Tohorā is more about whaling than the tohorā themselves but it’s beautifully done and doesn’t shy away from the realities of the industry. Read our review here.


Rockpools: A Guide for Kiwi Kids

Written & illustrated by Ned Barraud

Potton & Burton (2019)

RRP: $19.99

Buy now

Looks like 2019 was a good year for sea-themed books, and a good year for Ned Barraud! Rockpools is lushly illustrated (as are all of Barraud’s titles) and a lovely dip into rockpool wildlife. Read our review here.


Wild Coasts: Exploring Aotearoa’s Marine Reserves

Written & illustrated by Ned Barraud

Potton & Burton (2022)

RRP: $21.99

Buy now

I’ve already raved about this here but it is a very lovely introduction to marine reserves and the life within them.


Toroa’s Journey

By Maria Gill & Gavin Mouldey

Potton & Burton (2017)

RRP: $19.99

Buy now

By now I’m sure you can tell I’m a sucker for beautiful illustrations. This gem is based on a real-life albatross chick and follows its life story. A double fold-out spread helps give an idea of how huge toroa are. We reviewed the book here.


24 Hours on the Kiwi Seashore

By Gillian & Darryl Torckler

Bateman Books (2020)

RRP: $20.00

Buy now

Incredible photography accompanies digestible narrative describing the seashore across a 24 hour period. We reviewed it here.


The Life-Size Guide to the New Zealand Beach

By Andrew Crowe

Penguin (2004)

RRP: $24.99

Buy now

Andrew Crowe has created an excellent selection of guide books and this one is no exception. As per the title, life-size images of common beach finds are accompanied by informative text. I wrote a little more about it here.


New Zealand Seashore Wildlife: Which? What? Why?

By Dave Gunson

Bateman Books (2020)

RRP: $19.99

Buy now

This book is a great treasure trove of facts and great questions answered. Little comic-esque speech bubbles add some extra humour to the text, which is written in a really kid-friendly way.


Under the Ocean: Explore and Discover New Zealand’s Sea Life

By Ned Barraud & Gillian Candler

Craig Potton Publishing (2014)

RRP: $19.99

Buy now

Yes, it’s another Ned Barraud, this time with Gillian Candler. They have an excellent explore & discover series together which I wrote about here, one of which is At the Beach, so check that one out too.


Secrets of the Sea: The story of New Zealand’s native sea creatures

By Robert Vennell

HarperCollins Publishers (2022)

RRP: $55.00

Buy now

Another one not specifically aimed at kids but a beautiful book for older or advanced readers that covers not just biology and habitat but the history of our oceanic species.


Beachcombing: A guide to seashores of the Southern Hemisphere

By Ceridwen Fraser

Otago University Press (2021)

RRP: $30.00

Buy now

Here’s another guide to things that wash up on the seashore, again, not designed for children but like the others not out of reach. A lovely informative guide.


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Linda Jane is a writer of picture books, poetry, essays and science. Her background is varied, including work in ecology, environmental education, summer camps, and a community newspaper. She is Singaporean-Pākehā, queer, and loves leaping into cold bodies of water. She was previously lead editor for The Sapling.