New Reads for Coastal Kids Are Packed with Fun and Facts – Hakai Magazine

Excerpt:
These 10 coastal-themed books deliver more than pretty pictures…

This batch of children’s books about the coast and ocean illustrate how far picture books have come. The authors and illustrators of these fiction and nonfiction books know how to tell a story well. But each book also provides a launch pad for critical thinking—for science classes, creative writing exercises, political and environmental discussions, and art projects, too. Almost every one of these books includes extensive endnotes with added content such as positive actions that a person can take to, say, help whales or the rainforest or coral reefs; glossaries and ideas for where to find more information; or the real story behind the one portrayed in the book. These books are not just an entertaining and informative way for a child to pass some time alone or with an adult, they’re also books to keep on the shelf and dip into for information when you have a question about why whales leap or what causes coral bleaching, and to return to again and again…