Adult Titles
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Set against the backdrop of the Malibu surf culture of the 1980s this novel follows the daughter of a famous singer who, once she finds fame, must grapple with the fact that her father abandoned her and her siblings when they were young.
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
Set largely on the remote Korean island of Jeju, THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN follows Young-sook and Mi-ja, girls from strikingly different backgrounds who bond over their shared love of the sea. Working in their village’s all-female diving collective, the two friends come of age in a community where gender roles are anything but typical.
Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth
From one of the world’s most renowned cave divers, a firsthand account of exploring the earth’s final frontier: the hidden depths of our oceans.
The Source by Martin Doyle
Martin Doyle tells the epic story of America and its rivers, from the U.S. Constitution’s roots in interstate river navigation, to the failure of the levees in Hurricane Katrina and the water wars in the west. Through his own travels and his encounters with experts all over the country—a Mississippi River tugboat captain, an Erie Canal lock operator, a project manager buying water rights for farms along the Colorado River—Doyle reveals the central role rivers have played in American history and how vital they are to its future.
Under the Wave at Waimea by Paul Theroux
From legendary writer Paul Theroux comes an atmospheric novel following a big-wave surfer as he confronts aging, privilege, mortality, and whose lives we choose to remember.
Superman’s Not Coming by Erin Brockovich
In her long-awaited book—her first to reckon with the condition of water on our planet—Erin Brockovich shows us what’s at stake. She writes powerfully of the fraudulent science disguising our national water crisis, yet communities and people around the country are fighting to make an impact, and Brockovich tells us their stories.
YA Titles
The Neptune Trilogy by Polly Holyoke
Nere has never understood why she is so much more comfortable and confident in the water than on land until the day she learns the shocking truth—she is one of a group of kids who have been genetically altered to survive in the ocean. These products of the “Neptune Project” are supposed to build a better future under the waves, safe from the terrible famines and wars and that rock, the surface world.
The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
Robbie’s last-minute flight to the Midway Atoll proves to be a nightmare when the plane goes down in shark-infested waters. Fighting for her life, the co-pilot Max pulls her onto the raft, and that’s when the real terror begins.
Middle Grade Titles
Max Einstein Rebels With A Cause by James Patterson
When twelve-year-old Max’s friend Vihaan asks her for help for a village in India with a water crisis, Max risks her safety to try to save the day.
Emily Windsnap Series by Liz Kessler
With a sure sense of suspense and richly imaginative details, Liz Kessler lures us into a glorious undersea world where mermaids study shipwrecks at school and Neptune rules with an iron trident — an enchanting fantasy about family secrets, loyal friendship, and the convention-defying power of love.
The Turning by Emily Whitman
Aran has never truly fit in with his selkie clan. He was born in his human form, without a pelt to transform him into a sleek, strong seal. Each day he waits, left behind while his selkie family explores the deep ocean. What if his pelt never comes?
Attacked at Sea by Michael J. Tougias
This inspiring historical narrative tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, blinding oil, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast.
Picture Books
Ocean! Waves for All by Stacy McAnulty
A light-hearted book about the formation and history of the ocean, told from the perspective of the ocean itself.
Water is Water, a book about the water cycle by Miranda Paul
A spare, poetic picture book exploring the different phases of the water cycle in surprising and engaging ways.
The Pout Pout Fish Cleans Up the Ocean by Deborah Diensen
Mr. Fish and an increasing number of sea creatures investigate, then decide how to deal with, a huge mess in the ocean. Includes tips for the reader to help clean up and protect the ocean.
The Mess That We Made by Michelle Lord
With rhythmic language and captivating art, four children in a little boat discover the magnitude of the impact of trash on the ocean and marine life, inspiring us to make changes to save our seas. Includes a back section with facts about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, ocean pollution, and Calls to Action for kids and grown-ups to share.
