10 Fish Books for Kids: They Don’t Get Betta Than This
Are your kids fishy about fish? That’s not a good pun, but this is a good list of fish books for kids! Some are board books and some are picture books, some are pure fiction and some are nonfiction, but each is meant to send your kid splashing for, um, happiness? Somebody write me a post about books about fish puns, stat.
Fiction Fish Books for Kids
The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna
If you’re born a pout-pout fish, are you forever stuck as a pout-pout fish? If a kid wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, are they destined to have a terrible day or can they act better than they feel? In this board book, kids will learn the truth about “dreary wearies,” and what they can do to shake them off.
Only One You by Linda Kranz
There are plenty of stories that tell kids how unique they are, but not all of them also discuss that being unique can be a blessing and can be very uncomfortable. This brilliant, boldly illustrated board book does a great job of letting young readers know that we are all unique and it’s okay to embrace that fact and be weary of it at the same time.
The Fish Who Found the Sea by Alan Watts and Khoa Le
This picture book follows a poor fish who cannot seem to stop chasing its own fishy tale. Thankfully the deep blue sea was there to help get him straightened out and on his way to happiness.
Finn the Fish: A Story about Friendship by Lyric Dwayne Quenun
Who better to write fish books for kids than an actual kid? Finn the Fish was written by 9-year-old Lyric Dwayne Quenun and is based on his real experience with a friend being bullied. This is ultimately a story about friendship but, more importantly, it is a story about fish!
Little White Fish by Guido van Genechten
Little White Fish can’t find his mom and doesn’t know how to get back home. Thankfully a host of sea creatures are there to help him find his way back to the place he feels safe.
Nonfiction Fish Books for Kids
Fish for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Diverse Habitats, Colorful Species, and Life Underwater by Kevin Kurtz
If you’re looking for nonfiction fish books for kids who love truth-telling in their fishy books, this is a great choice. It includes hands-on activities and ideas for aquariums, fun fish facts for kids, and profiles of both saltwater and freshwater fish.
All Fish Faces: Photos and Fun Facts about Tropical Reef Fish by Tam Warner Minton and Carla King
For kids who love tropical reef fish, weird fish faces, and their ocean friends, there are tons of fun facts, photos, and a lot more in this unique kids book about fish.
Grandmother Fish: A Child’s First Book of Evolution by Jonathan Tweet and Karen Lewis
There’s a lot to learn about fish, including their important part in the process of evolution. For the kid who thinks they know all there is to know about fish, Grandmother Fish gives them a chance to learn how fish fit into the greater world of the animal kingdom.
Freaky, Funky Fish: Odd Facts about Fascinating Fish by Debra Kempf Shumaker and Claire Powell
Facts are great but freaky, funky, and odd facts are even better. This adorable picture book uses science to show just how unique and interesting the world really is — especially the world of fish.
Wandering Whale Sharks by Susumu Shingu
Kids who love the biggest and baddest of all things will love this gentle book about the largest fish in the world: the whale shark. Only recently translated to English, this has been a favorite of Japanese kids since the early 1990s.
For more fun in the sea, check out a list of ocean books for kids!
