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Bedtime with an ocean-mad four year old is basically a nightly deep-sea expedition: turtles, octopuses, sharks, ideally all in one book. These are the ones worth having for a curious four year old: proper stories, real facts, and pictures you'll happily look at for the hundredth time.
1
Best read-aloudMeet the Oceans - Caryl Hart & Bethan Woollvin
A bouncy rhyming tour of the world's oceans with bold, funny pictures. It sneaks in real geography without anyone noticing.
Good to know: Brilliant for the 'where do whales live?' stage.
2
Best first fact bookLittle Kids First Big Book of the Ocean - National Geographic Kids
30+ sea creatures with big, real photos. This is the book you grab when a question comes up that you can't answer.
Good to know: Great to dip into rather than read cover to cover.
3
Best for 'but why?'Who Makes an Ocean? - Sally Nicholls & Carolina Rabei
A gentle, beautiful story about how the ocean formed and how life began in it. Big ideas made small.
4
Best before swimming lessonsAqua Boy - Ken Wilson-Max
Aaron is scared of going under the water. BookTrust recommends it for ages 4-7, and it's perfect for nervous little swimmers.
Mum tip: Pair a book with something real. Link the turtle page to a turtle you've actually seen, even at an aquarium, and the facts stick far better.
Verity's verdict
Verity hasn't tried this lot yet. Her honest verdict goes here once she has, good or bad.
Little Ocean