100 Best Children's Boat Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

Where the Crawdads Sing

Delia Owens

5.0

A novel about a young woman determined to make her way in the wilds of North Carolina, and the two men that will break her isolation open.

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. She's barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark.

But

Recommended by Reese Witherspoon and Kris Crocker.

Reese Witherspoon

Actress, Author, Founder/Hello Sunshine

Great article about the success of Where the Crawdads Sing. Did you read the book? @ReesesBookClub 🤗 https://t.co/w1ZgQLRzsx [source]

Kris Crocker

@spokanelibrary I love this book!! [source]

2

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

Alfred Lansing

4.9

Preview Summary

The harrowing tale of British explorer Ernest Shackleton's 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole, one of the greatest adventure stories of the modern age.

In August 1914, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton boarded the Endurance became locked in an island of ice. Thus began the legendary ordeal of Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men. When their ship was finally crushed between two ice floes, th

Recommended by Ryan Holiday, Bryan Johnson, Mark Moses, and 2 others.

Ryan Holiday

Author

50 plus years old, this is a story that more than stands the test of time. Sir Ernest Shackleton makes his daring attempt to cross Antarctic continent but his crew and boat are trapped in the ice flows. What follows are 600 days of harrowing survival, first from the elements, then from hunger, then from the sea as he makes a daring attempt in a small lifeboat to reach land 650 miles away, then again as he struggles over land and mountains to bring relief to his men. And when he finally arrives with it, Shackleton simply boards them on the boat and returns home as if nothing had happened. He was an immensely brave man in the midst of terrible adversity and we see this so clearly in a book based on the remarkable diaries of his men. He never quit, never seemed to despair. This book (and his life) were living proof of his family motto: “Fortitudine vincimus” (By endurance we conquer). [source]

Bryan Johnson

How I want to behave in life. [source]

Mark Moses

Truly inspiring story of determination, grit and beating all odds. [source]

3

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Daniel James Brown

4.6

For readers of Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit and Unbroken, the dramatic story of the American rowing team that stunned the world at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Daniel James Brown's robust book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans.

Recommended by Satya Nadella, Ryan Holiday, Gail Kelly, and 3 others.

Satya Nadella

CEO/Microsoft

Nadella calls this tale with a local Seattle connection—it involves an underdog University of Washington crew team and the 1936 Berlin Olympics—”A wonderful illustration of the importance of teamwork, which was a core part of my focus out of the gate as CEO. [source]

Ryan Holiday

Author

Another great narrative nonfiction out this year that I hope you’ll like is: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown. [source]

Gail Kelly

Former CEO/ Westpac

Member of the Group of 30, and former CEO of Westpac will be spending her summer months reading a memoir, a novel and historical non-fiction. [source]

4

Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak

4.5

Max, a wild and naughty boy, is sent to bed without his supper by his exhausted mother. In his room, he imagines sailing far away to a land of Wild Things. Instead of eating him, the Wild Things make Max their king.

Recommended by Barack Obama, Richard Branson, Martha Stewart, and 2 others.

Barack Obama

Former USA President

During a trip to a public library in Washington’s Anacostia neighborhood in 2015, Obama shared some of his childhood favorites with a group of young students. He also read (and acted out) Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak to kids at the White House in 2014. [source]

Richard Branson

Founder/Virgin Group

Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. [source]

Martha Stewart

In this photo, Jimmy Fallon and I enjoy slurping Eggs of Newt together for Season-5 of “The Martha Stewart Show." I am dressed as "Queen of the Wild Things" inspired by the beloved Maurice Sendak children's book, "Where the Wild Things Are." https://t.co/1ZBqXEW7dC [source]

5

The Old Man and the Sea

Ernest Hemingway

4.5

The Old Man and the Sea, an apparently simple fable, represents the mature Hemingway at his best. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature soon after its publication, and half a century later it is still one of his most read books.

Recommended by Jack Dorsey, James Altucher, Jordan B Peterson, and 1 others.

Jack Dorsey

Co-Founder/Twitter

I keep coming back to it. I love the straightforwardness, the tightness, and the poetry. I think it shows a common struggle that is repeated over and over in so many narratives both fictional and nonfictional. [source]

Jordan B Peterson

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway https://t.co/7dJE4Pfn56, a book from my great books list https://t.co/AxBNX3QpMb [source]

May Witwit

I taught this book to my students in Iraq during the economic sanctions. And I feel like it gave me some kind of strength to continue. [source]

6

The Circus Ship

Chris Van Dusen

4.4

With stunning artwork and a rhyming text, the illustrator of the Mercy Watson books tells a tale of human-animal connection full of humor and heart.

When a circus ship runs aground off the coast of Maine, the poor animals are left on their own to swim the chilly waters. Staggering onto a nearby island, they soon win over the wary townspeople with their kind, courageous ways. So well do the critters

7

The Odyssey

Homer

4.4

After enduring the Trojan War, Odysseus begins the treacherous journey home to Ithaca. On the way, he faces ravenous monsters and vengeful gods. But the real battle awaits, as his kingdom is under siege by unruly suitors vying for his wife’s hand—and his son’s head. To reclaim his throne and save his family, Odysseus must rely on his wits…and help from the unpredictable gods.

Homer’s The Odyssey wa

Recommended by Caterina Fake, Ted Turner, Charlotte Higgins, and 3 others.

Ted Turner

Founder/CNN

When I got to college, I was a classics major, and that was mainly the study of Greek - and to a lesser extent Roman - history and culture, and that fascinated me: the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid by Virgil. [source]

Charlotte Higgins

It’s a very easy read, and a completely different world from The Iliad. Whereas The Iliad depicts a militaristic and war-wrecked world, The Odyssey is like a fairytale and it’s fascinatingly complex. It’s told in flashbacks, it has time that’s extended and time that’s compressed, and it’s told from different viewpoints. [source]

Janine di Giovanni

The thing I loved about Ulysses was that he’s so in love with adventure and with love. [source]

8

Moby-Dick

Herman Melville

4.4

Journey to the heart of the sea with this larger-than-life classic.

Regarded as a Great American Novel, "Moby Dick" is the ultimate tale of seeking vengeance.

Narrated by the crew member Ishmael, this epic whaling adventure follows the crew of the "Pequod," as its captain, Ahab, descends deeper and deeper into madness on his quest to find and kill the white whale that maimed him. Beyond the surface-

Recommended by Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, Adam Haslett, and 4 others.

Barack Obama

Former USA President

According to the president’s Facebook page and a 2008 interview with the New York Times, this title is among his most influential forever favorites. [source]

Steve Jobs

Founder/Apple

Jobs told me that "Moby-Dick" was among his favorite books and he reread it a lot when he was a teen. [source]

Adam Haslett

Evil derives from the violent avoidance of the realisation of our own mortality and there could be few better examples of this in literature than Melville’s portrait of Ahab in Moby-Dick. [source]

9

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)

N. K. Jemisin

4.4

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, masquerading as an ordinary schoolteacher in a quiet small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Mighty Sanze, the empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years, collapses as its greatest city is destroyed by a madman's vengeance. And worst of all,

Recommended by Jacquelyn Gill and John Lilly.

Jacquelyn Gill

@MaraWilson It’s such an amazing book. One of my all-time favorites—and the entire trilogy is that strong! [source]

John Lilly

@fredmcclimans First author to win 3 Hugos in a row. So: not bad! First book strongest imho, but all of it great. [source]

10

Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey

Maira Kalman

4.4

The John J. Harvey fireboat was the largest, fastest, shiniest fireboatof its time, but by 1995, the city didn't need old fireboats anymore. So the Harvey retired, until a group of friends decided to save it from the scrap heap. Then, one sunny September day in 2001, something so horrible happened that the whole world shook. And a call came from the fire department, asking if the Harvey could batt

Cover unavailable

11

The Wind in the Willows

Kenneth Grahame, Charles van Sandwyk

4.4

Since 1903, the escapades of Mole, his friend Water Rat, shy Badger, and Toad of Toad Hall have delighted children, and adults, too. Follow the winning foursome through the seasons as they sail the river, get lost in the Wild Wood, take off on a merry adventure in Toad's colorful carriage, and rescue Toad Hall from a band of nasty marauding weasels.

Recommended by Neil Gaiman, M G Leonard, Melvin Burgess, and 1 others.

Neil Gaiman

I think The Wind in the Willows is an excellent candidate for Best Book Ever Written. https://t.co/Uepg8wc1uE [source]

M G Leonard

The characters are alive in my head and I love every single one of them. [source]

Melvin Burgess

It’s the first book I fell in love with. The fiction that I liked when I was young was very much about cosy little adventures with animals. [source]

Cover unavailable

12

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Jane Cabrera

4.4

Read, row, and roar along - a newly imagined favorite will have everyone singing.

In this vibrantly-painted rain forest, squeak, bark, and chatter along with a kitten and puppy rowing their way down the stream. Uncover one delightful animal surprise after another. Sheet music with guitar chords, along with Cabrera's jaunty new verses, is included.

Jane Cabrera's Story Time celebrates children's best

Cover unavailable

13

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain

4.3

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (or, in more recent editions, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) is a novel by Mark Twain, first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work is among the first in major American literature to be written throughout in vernacular English, characterized by local col

Recommended by Richard Branson, Walter Isaacson, Daniel Pink, and 3 others.

Richard Branson

Founder/Virgin Group

Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. [source]

Walter Isaacson

Author

Read this book. [source]

Michael Voss

I enjoy nearly everything Mark Twain ever wrote, but my favorite is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel showcases Twain at the top of his game in terms of acerbic wit, sharp societal observations and the use of regional dialects - for which he initially garnered great criticism, before the passage of time enabled critics to understand and acknowledge its authenticity. [source]

14

Indestructibles: Things That Go!

Amy Pixton

4.3

Learn all about things that go in a book that’s indestructible.

Baby’s driving down the road. Look, a truck!
Baby’s flying in the air. Wow, there’s a plane!
Baby’s sailing on the sea—along with a ship, a sailboat, and a submarine!

Indestructibles is the trusted series for easing little ones into story time. Beloved by babies and their parents, Indestructibles are built for the way babies “read”

15

Scuffy the Tugboat

Gertrude Crampton

4.3

The story of a toy tugboat and his dream to be somewhere other than the toy store.

16

Life of Pi

Yann Martel

4.3

Yann Martel's imaginative and unforgettable Life of Pi is a magical reading experience, an endless blue expanse of storytelling about adventure, survival, and ultimately, faith. The precocious son of a zookeeper, 16-year-old Pi Patel is raised in Pondicherry, India, where he tries on various faiths for size, attracting "religions the way a dog attracts fleas." Planning a move to Canada, his father

Recommended by David Allen.

17

In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

Nathaniel Philbrick

4.3

"With its huge, scarred head halfway out of the water and its tail beating the ocean into a white-water wake more than forty feet across, the whale approached the ship at twice its original speed - at least six knots. With a tremendous cracking and splintering of oak, it struck the ship just beneath the anchor secured at the cat-head on the port bow..."

In the Heart of the Sea brings to new life t

Recommended by Richard Branson and Ryan Holiday.

Richard Branson

Founder/Virgin Group

Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. [source]

Ryan Holiday

Author

Wow, did you know that Moby Dick was based on a true story? There was a real whaling ship that was broken in half by an angry sperm whale. But it gets even more insane. The members of the crew escaped in three lifeboats, traveling thousands of miles at sea with little food and water until they slowly resorted to cannibalism(!) Besides being an utterly unbelievable story, this book also gives a great history into the whaling industry and the cowboys/entrepreneurs who led it. Definitely recommend and I promise my spoilers did not ruin anything. [source]

18

The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition

Caroline Alexander

4.3

In August 1914, days before the outbreak of the First World War, the renowned explorer Ernest Shackleton and a crew of twenty-seven set sail for the South Atlantic in pursuit of the last unclaimed prize in the history of exploration: the first crossing on foot of the Antarctic continent. Weaving a treacherous path through the freezing Weddell Sea, they had come within eighty-five miles of their de

Recommended by Ryan Holiday.

19

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Jules Verne, William O'Connor

4.3

Go 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Sterling's Illustrated Classics series, and see Jules Verne's fantastic water-world as never before: through more than 70 stunning steampunk images illustrated by the incredible William O'Connor. Originally published in 1870, Verne’s amazing adventure is one of the earliest sci-fi novels ever written—and one of the most popular. Come on board the Nautilus and p

Recommended by Richard Branson, Alan Kay, and Jan Zalasiewicz.

Richard Branson

Founder/Virgin Group

Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. [source]

Alan Kay

A formative book in so many ways. [source]

Jan Zalasiewicz

Re-reading it recently, I was struck not just by its dynamic plot, but also by how much science he smuggled in. [source]

20

The Iliad

Homer, Robert Fagles, Bernard Knox

4.3

Dating to the ninth century B.C., Homer’s timeless poem still vividly conveys the horror and heroism of men and gods wrestling with towering emotions and battling amidst devastation and destruction, as it moves inexorably to the wrenching, tragic conclusion of the Trojan War. Renowned classicist Bernard Knox observes in his superb introduction that although the violence of the Iliad is grim and re

Recommended by Ted Turner, Charlotte Higgins, Daniel Mendelsohn, and 2 others.

Ted Turner

Founder/CNN

When I got to college, I was a classics major, and that was mainly the study of Greek - and to a lesser extent Roman - history and culture, and that fascinated me: the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid by Virgil. [source]

Charlotte Higgins

I think The Iliad has much to say to politicians now – it’s completely clear-eyed about collateral damage, about problems of post-conflict and about the ghastly things that happen to women and children in war. [source]

Daniel Mendelsohn

There are always new translations of The Iliad coming out, but this one has a very specific approach, both in terms of its philosophy of translation and its approach to the text. [source]

21

Ocean Meets Sky

Terry Fan, Eric Fan

4.2

Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out his window it’s a constant reminder of the stories his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Where whales and jellyfish soar and birds and castles float.

Finn’s grandfather is gone now but Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place hims

22

In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette

Hampton Sides

4.2

On July 8, 1879, Captain George Washington De Long and his team of thirty-two men set sail from San Francisco on the USS Jeanette. Heading deep into uncharted Arctic waters, they carried the aspirations of a young country burning to be the first nation to reach the North Pole.

Two years into the voyage, the Jeannette's hull was breached by an impassable stretch of pack ice, forcing the crew to aba

Recommended by Brent Glass.

Brent Glass

Which country could be the first to reach the North Pole? [source]

Cover unavailable

23

Mr Gumpy's Outing

John Burningham

4.2

One sunny day Mr. Gumpy decides to take a ride in his small boat. It's a perfect idea for a lovely summer day, and soon he is joined by children, a rabbit, a cat, a pig, and a host of other friends. But when the goat kicks, the chickens flap, the dog teases the cat and the children squabble — the boat tips into the water and everyone tumbles out. No one minds getting wet on such a nice day, though

Recommended by Tim Hopgood.

Tim Hopgood

An atmospheric and funny book that captures the mood of a summer’s day with the chance to go for a ride on a boat. [source]

24

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

Alix E. Harrow

4.2

In the early 1900s, a young woman searches for her place in the world after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.

In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out

Recommended by Kate Mckean and Stuart Dredge.

Kate Mckean

It’s the publication day of @AlixEHarrow’s THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY!!!!!!!!!! This book is an amazing gem and it will stay with you for years after reading it. You should do that. Read it. https://t.co/vuc35vHCDq [source]

Stuart Dredge

@alice Ooh! The Ten Thousand Doors of January might fit the bill - world-building + a big love story + book within a book. Reading it now and LOVE it. Also The Starless Sea in similar territory (apologies if you are already well aware of both of these!) [source]

25

Who Sank the Boat?

Pamela Allen

4.2

A charmingly funny read-aloud that asks an important question: "Who sank the boat?"

Beside the sea, there once lived a cow, a donkey, a sheep, a pig, and a tiny little mouse. They were good friends, and one warm, sunny morning, for no particular reason, they decided to go for a row in the bay. Do you know who sank the boat?

"The idea is funny, the pictures are splendid, and the easy text is just ri

26

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

Virginia Lee Burton

4.2

A modern classic that no child should miss. Since it was first published in 1939, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel has delighted generations of children. Mike and his trusty steam shovel, Mary Anne, dig deep canals for boats to travel through, cut mountain passes for trains, and hollow out cellars for city skyscrapers -- the very symbol of industrial America. But with progress come new machines,

27

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #3)

C. S. Lewis, Pauline Baynes

4.2

The Dawn Treader will take you places you never dreamed existed.

NARNIA... the world of wicked dragons and magic spells, where the very best is brought out of even the worst people, where anything can happen (and most often does)... and where the adventure begins.

The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his voyage to find the seven lords, good m

28

Sailing Alone around the World

Joshua Slocum, Thomas Philbrick

4.2

The classic travel narrative of a Don Quixote-of-the-seas – the first man to circumnavigate the world singlehandedly.

Joshua Slocum’s autobiographical account of his solo trip around the world is one of the most remarkable – and entertaining – travel narratives of all time. Setting off alone from Boston aboard the thirty-six-foot wooden sloop Spray in April 1895, Captain Slocum went on to join the

29

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch

Jean Lee Latham

4.2

A fictionalized biography of the mathematician and astronomer who realized his childhood desire to become a ship's captain and authoredThe American Practical Navigator.

Recommended by Bill Nye.

Bill Nye

About a real-life American hero who pulls himself through life with genius and hard work. He inspired me as kid — he still does. I hope to make the movie someday soon. [source]

30

Titanic (National Geographic Kids Readers, Level 3)

Melissa Stewart, National Geographic Kids

4.2

Climb aboard the Titanic and learn about its history in this National Geographic Kids Level 3 Reader. Kids reading independently will enjoy this journey into the past while learning new vocabulary.In 1912, an Olympic-class ocean liner named Titanic set sail. Luxurious and armed with the latest safety equipment, the ship was called "unsinkable." So how did it turn into a tragedy? This Level 3 Reade

31

Salt to the Sea

Ruta Sepetys

4.2

While the Titanic and Lusitania are both well-documented disasters, the single greatest tragedy in maritime history is the little-known January 30, 1945 sinking in the Baltic Sea by a Soviet submarine of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German cruise liner that was supposed to ferry wartime personnel and refugees to safety from the advancing Red Army. The ship was overcrowded with more than 10,500 passenge

Cover unavailable

32

Row Row Row Your Boat

Iza Trapani

4.1

Climb on board with this adorable family of bumbling bears as they row, row, row their boat into a merry adventure. Hold on to your hats and get ready to laugh as these irresistible characters rock, bash, and splash their way into your heart.

33

Dove

Robin L. Graham

4.1

In 1965, 16-year-old Robin Lee Graham began a solo around-the-world voyage from San Pedro, California, in a 24-foot sloop. Five years and 33,000 miles later, he returned to home port with a wife and daughter and enough extraordinary experiences to fill this bestselling book, Dove.

34

I Survived The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912: A Graphix Book

Lauren Tarshis

4.1

Cover unavailable

35

Titanic (National Geographic Readers Series)

Melissa Stewart

4.1

Get kids reading with cool information about the subjects that interest them the most. National Geographic Readers are high-interest, exciting, and easy to read. The latest in the series, Titanic is no exception. Just in time for the 100th anniversary of the Olympic-class passenger liner's ill-fated journey, this title is replete with brilliant photographs and exclusive in-depth coverage including

Cover unavailable

36

La Belle Sauvage (Book of Dust, Volume 1)

Philip Pullman

4.1

"Too few things in our world are worth a seventeen-year wait: The Book of Dust is one of them." --The Washington Post

Philip Pullman returns to the parallel world of his groundbreaking novel The Golden Compass to expand on the story of Lyra, "one of fantasy's most indelible characters" (The New York Times Magazine).

Malcolm Polstead is the kind of boy who notices everything but is not much noticed h

Cover unavailable

37

Boats for Papa

Jessixa Bagley

4.1

Buckley and his Mama live in a cozy cabin by the ocean. He loves to carve boats out of the driftwood he finds on the beach nearby.
He makes:

big boats
long boats
short boats and
tall boats,

each one more beautiful than the last, and sends them out to sea. If they don't come back, he knows they've found their way to his papa, whom he misses very much.
In this stunning debut, author/illustrator Jessixa B

Cover unavailable

38

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 (I Survived, #1)

Lauren Tarshis

4.1

The most terrifying events in history are brought vividly to life in this New York Times-bestselling series!
Ten-year-old George Calder can't believe his luck -- he and his little sister, Phoebe, are on the famous Titanic, crossing the ocean with their Aunt Daisy. The ship is full of exciting places to explore, but when George ventures into the first class storage cabin, a terrible boom shakes the

39

The Maggie B.

Irene Haas

4.1

One night before she goes to sleep, Margaret wishes on the North Star for a ship named after herself. The next morning, she wakes up on the Maggie B., sailing across the ocean with her baby brother, James, for company.

40

Circe

Madeline Miller

4.1

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banis

Recommended by Jacqui Pretty and Jason Kottke.

Jacqui Pretty

When it comes to fiction, there are so many to choose from! Some books I've loved in the past year include Circe by Madeline Miller. [source]

Jason Kottke

Another contemporary reinterpretation of Greek mythology from the perspective of a woman. I’m 3/4s of the way through Circe right now and I might like it even more than The Odyssey. [source]

Cover unavailable

41

Three Men in a Boat (Three Men, #1)

Jerome K. Jerome

4.1

A comic masterpiece that has never been out of print since it was first published in 1889, Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat includes an introduction and notes by Jeremy Lewis in Penguin Classics.

Martyrs to hypochondria and general seediness, J. and his friends George and Harris decide that a jaunt up the Thames would suit them to a 'T'. But when they set off, they can hardly predict the trou

Recommended by Allen MacDuffie.

Allen MacDuffie

The story is about three friends taking a weekend trip up the Thames in a rowing boat. But then there’s the dog … [source]

Cover unavailable

42

Kon-Tiki

Thor Heyerdahl

4.1

Kon-Tiki is the record of an astonishing adventure -- a journey of 4,300 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean by raft. Intrigued by Polynesian folklore, biologist Thor Heyerdahl suspected that the South Sea Islands had been settled by an ancient race from thousands of miles to the east, led by a mythical hero, Kon-Tiki. He decided to prove his theory by duplicating the legendary voyage.

On April

Recommended by Ovidiu Drugan.

Ovidiu Drugan

Expedition books from north pole to across the oceans with ships or rafts. [source]

43

Time of Wonder

Robert McCloskey

4.1

Winner of the Caldecott Medal! For fans of Blueberries for Sal, One Morning in Maine, and Make way for Ducklings.

"Out on the islands that poke their rocky shores above the waters of Penobscot Bay, you can watch the time of the world go by, from minute to minute, hour to hour, from day to day . . ." So begins this classic story of one summer on a Maine island from the author of One Morning in Maine

44

Paddle-to-the-Sea

Holling Clancy Holling

4.1

A young Indian boy carves a little canoe with a figure inside and names him Paddle-to-the-Sea. Paddle's journey, in text and pictures, through the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean provides an excellent geographic and historical picture of the region. "Geography of the best kind made vivid by the power of imagination." -- Horn Book

Cover unavailable

45

Hello Lighthouse

Sophie Blackall

4.1

A new picture book that will transport readers to the seaside.

Watch the days and seasons pass as the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and icebergs drift by. Outside, there is water all around. Inside, the daily life of a lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds as the keeper boils water for tea, lights the lamp's wick, and writes every detail in his logbook.

46

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania

Erik Larson

4.1

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author and master of narrative nonfiction comes the enthralling story of the sinking of the Lusitania

On May 1, 1915, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool, carrying a record number of children and infants. The passengers were anxious. Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be

Recommended by Bethanye McKinney Blount.

Bethanye McKinney Blount

There's so much in this one about leadership, failures and how winners write history. [source]

Cover unavailable

47

Float

Daniel Miyares

4.1

A boy's small paper boat and his large imagination fill the pages of this wordless picture book, a modern-day classic from the creator of Pardon Me! that includes endpaper instructions for building a boat of your own.

A little boy takes a boat made of newspaper out for a rainy-day adventure. The boy and his boat dance in the downpour and play in the puddles, but when the boy sends his boat floating

48

Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea

Steven Callahan

4.1

Before The Perfect Storm, before In the Heart of the Sea, Steven Callahan's dramatic tale of survival at sea was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than thirty-six weeks. In some ways the model for the new wave of adventure books, Adrift is an undeniable seafaring classic, a riveting firsthand account by the only man known to have survived more than a month alone at sea, fighting for h

49

Holes (Holes, #1)

Louis Sachar

4.1

Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.

Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten- pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "b

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50

Little Toot

Hardie Gramatky

4.1

Story of a young tugboat.

Cover unavailable

51

Swallows and Amazons

Arthur Ransome

4.1

Upon arriving, the friends are besieged by Amazon pirates, Nancy and Peggy, who claim ownership of the land. Luckily, the Swallows and Amazons soon call a truce and set off together on wild escapades, camping under open skies, swimming, fishing, and exploring.

This deluxe hardcover edition of Arthur Ransome's charming tale will find a treasured spot in many home libraries as well as transport child

Recommended by Richard Branson.

Richard Branson

Founder/Virgin Group

Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. [source]

52

What Was the Titanic?

Stephanie Sabol

4.1

For more than 100 years, people have been captivated by the disastrous sinking of the Titanic that claimed over 1,500 lives. Now young readers can find out why the great ship went down and how it was discovered seventy-five years later.

At 2:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912, the Royal Mail Steamer Titanic, the largest passenger steamship of this time, met its catastrophic end after crashing into an icebe

53

Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson

4.1

The most popular pirate story ever written in English, featuring one of literature's most beloved villains, Treasure Island has been happily devoured by several generations of boys-and girls-and grownups.

Recommended by Barack Obama, Richard Branson, and Michael Morpurgo.

Barack Obama

Former USA President

During a trip to a public library in Washington’s Anacostia neighborhood in 2015, Obama shared some of his childhood favorites with a group of young students. He also read (and acted out) Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak to kids at the White House in 2014. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak [source]

Richard Branson

Founder/Virgin Group

Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. [source]

Michael Morpurgo

This is the first book that I ever read on my own and I take great pleasure and pride in that. It was the first book where I really identified strongly with the boy Jim in it. He was about the same age as I was when I began reading it. [source]

54

Sheep in a Jeep

Nancy E. Shaw

4.1

Out for a drive in the country, Nancy Shaw and Margot Apple's well-known and beloved sheep run into some mishaps with their sturdy red jeep.

55

Slaves of Socorro (Brotherband Chronicles, #4)

John Flanagan

4.1

The fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Brotherband series, for fans of Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones

Hal and his fellow Herons have returned home to Skandia after defeating the pirate captain Zavac and reclaiming Skandia's most prized artifact, the Andomal. With their honor restored, the Herons turn to a new mission: tracking down an old rival turned bitter enemy. Tursgud

56

Big Bad Ironclad!

Nathan Hale

4.1

57

The Story of Titanic for Children: Astonishing Little-Known Facts and Details About the Most Famous Ship in the World

Joe Fullman

4.1

It was a night to remember—when the “unsinkable” ship sunk. Introduce children to the unforgettable story of the Titanic.

More than a century after it crashed into an iceberg, the Titanic remains as compelling as ever. Now children can explore its beautiful sundecks, marvel at the luxurious design, and relive the tragic sinking of the world’s most famous ship. Rich in visual detail, this insightf

58

The Octonauts Explore The Great Big Ocean

Meomi

4.1

A brand new classic picture book in an exciting new format featuring the global sensations, The Octonauts by Meomi. With glow in the dark ink, a surprise page to fold out - and lots of exciting detail - this is the ultimate gift book for Octonauts-crazy children!

The Octonauts are a crew of cute animals who love to explore the big blue ocean. From their underwater base, the Octopod, the eight intre

59

The Titanic: Lost and Found

Judy Donnelly

4.1

Titanic. Just the name evokes tales of the doomed ship that have captivated people of all ages for more than 100 years.
Early readers will enjoy this exciting account of the world's most famous disaster-at-sea and the discovery of it's remains many years later.
Step 4 books are perfect for independent readers who are confident with simple sentences and are just starting to tackle paragraphs.

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60

Scorpion Mountain (Brotherband Chronicles, #5)

John Flanagan

4.1

From John Flanagan, author of the worldwide bestselling Ranger's Apprentice -- an all-new adventure featuring the Brotherband crew and one of our favorite Rangers!

Hal, his Brotherband crew, and the Ranger Gilan have freed the twelve Araluens sold into slavery. Returning to Araluen, Gilan is given a new mission by King Duncan: protect his daughter’s life. Princess Cassandra has survived one attempt

61

The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea

Sebastian Junger

4.1

"Takes readers into the maelstrom and shows nature's splendid and dangerous havoc at its utmost".

October 1991. It was "the perfect storm"--a tempest that may happen only once in a century--a nor'easter created by so rare a combination of factors that it could not possibly have been worse. Creating waves ten stories high and winds of 120 miles an hour, the storm whipped the sea to inconceivable lev

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62

One-Dog Canoe

Mary Casanova, Ard Hoyt

4.1

Sometimes – the more the merrier

I set off one morning in my little red canoe.
My dog wagged his tail.
"Can I come, too?"
"You bet," I said.
"A trip for two – just me and you."

But when "with a slap and a swim" Beaver scrambles in, and then "with a ‘woo-hooo!' – flap!" Loon lands in the young canoeist's lap, it's clear that this will be no ordinary canoe trip.

A bouncy rhyming text and exuberant pictures

63

The Outcasts (Brotherband Chronicles, #1)

John Flanagan

4.1

From the author of the global phenomenon Ranger's Apprentice!

They are outcasts. Hal, Stig, and the others - they are the boys the others want no part of. Skandians, as any reader of Ranger's Apprentice could tell you, are known for their size and strength. Not these boys. Yet that doesn't mean they don't have skills. And courage - which they will need every ounce of to do battle at sea against the

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64

Submarines Coloring Book 1 (Volume 1)

Nick Snels

4.1

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65

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #2)

Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka

4.1

The fearsome foursome is back in the second installment of the New York Times bestselling series praised by Rick Riordan!

The Mysterious Benedict Society is up against a new mission, significantly closer to home. After reuniting for a celebratory scavenger hunt, Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance are forced to go on an unexpected search--a search to find Mr. Benedict. It seems that while he was p

66

Story of the Titanic (DK Panorama)

DK

4.1

The true story of the world’s most famous ship is retold in this beautiful book with stunning visuals and a gripping narrative.One fateful night in 1912 the so-called Ship of Dreams turned into a nightmare in the Atlantic Ocean after hitting an iceberg and sinking on its maiden voyage. The tragedy of the Titanic is shown in dramatic original illustrations by award-winning artist Steve Noon. This l

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67

Off & Away

Cale Atkinson

4.1

How would you get mail if you lived in the middle of the sea? It's Jo's dad's job to deliver it, taking bottles wherever they need to go. He always comes home with exciting stories to tell-but Jo is far too afraid to go out on the ocean herself. Until Dad gets a bad sea cold, that is. With no one but Jo to deliver the bottles, she must find her courage and set sail alone. As she embarks on her mis

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68

Little Tug

Stephen Savage, Steven Savage

4.1

Little Tug may not be very tall or very fast, but when the big ships in the harbor need help, they know they can count on him to be there with a push, a pull, and a ride to safety. But what happens when Little Tug gets tired?

This simple, endearing book with a charming retro feel and an emotional punch is the first book for Roaring Brook Press by the acclaimed author of Polar Bear Night (New York

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69

Hornblower and the Hotspur

C. S. Forester

4.1

Hornblower's reconnaissance mission quickly turns to warfare in this installment of the beloved series of naval adventures by C. S. Forester, "a master of the genre" (New York Times).

April 1803. The Peace of Amiens is breaking down. Napoleon is building ships and amassing an army just across the Channel. Horatio Hornblower -- who, at age twenty-seven, has already distinguished himself as one of

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70

Ocean Animals Activity Book For Kids: Coloring, Dot to Dot, Mazes, and More for Ages 4-8 (Fun Activities for Kids)

Activity Wizo

4.1

71

Disney Moana - I'm Ready to Read with Moana Interactive Read-Along Sound Book - Great for Early Readers - PI Kids

PI Kids

4.0

Sail away with Moana on a read-along adventure! Press 10 buttons to hear each page of the story read aloud. Simple sentences, large type, and expressive narration make it easy for beginning readers to follow along!This book is special because:Simple sentences and large type ease the way for beginning readersChildren can spot and say familiar words and sound out new onesExpressive narration by favo

Cover unavailable

72

Three Bears in a Boat

David Soman

4.0

From the co-creator of the New York Times bestselling Ladybug Girl series comes a high seas adventure inspired by the classic picture books Little Bear and Where the Wild Things Are.

Three bear siblings break their mother’s favorite blue seashell, and rather than tell her, they decide to set out in their sailboat to find her a new one. On their quest they encounter salty sailors, strange new islan

73

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)

Philip Pullman

4.0

Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule. North, where the Gobblers take the children they steal--including her friend Roger. North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world.

Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a cham

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74

Yellow Kayak

Nina Laden

4.0

A child and his beloved best friend go on a grand sea adventure in this magical picture book by the author and artist who created If I Had a Little Dream.

You just never know what a new day will hold if you are brave enough to find out. On one quiet afternoon, a boy and his special friend’s unexpected adventure bring joy and excitement and sights never imagined. And the best part of any adventure i

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75

Lifeboat 12

Susan Hood

4.0

This novel in verse based on true events tells the story of a boy’s harrowing experience on a lifeboat after surviving a torpedo attack during World War II.

With Nazis bombing London every night, it’s time for thirteen-year-old Ken to escape. He suspects his stepmother is glad to see him go, but his dad says he’s one of the lucky ones—one of ninety boys and girls to ship out aboard the SS City of B

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76

The Magician King (The Magicians #2)

Lev Grossman

4.0

Return to Fillory in the riveting sequel to the New York Times bestseller and literary phenomenon, The Magicians

Quentin Coldwater should be happy. He escaped a miserable Brooklyn childhood, matriculated at a secret college for magic, and graduated to discover that Fillory—a fictional utopia—was actually real. But even as a Fillorian king, Quentin finds little peace. His old restlessness returns, a

Recommended by Jason Santa Maria.

Cover unavailable

77

The Light Between Oceans

M. L. Stedman

4.0

A captivating, beautiful, and stunningly accomplished debut novel that opens in 1918 Australia - the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who make one devastating choice that forever changes two worlds.

Australia, 1926. After four harrowing years fighting on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns home to take a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day's journey from th

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78

Busy Boats

Tony Mitton and Ant Parker

4.0

Sail boats, row boats, ferry boats and speedboats: find them all and discover how they work in this fun-filled picture book. Then take a cruise on an ocean liner, crewed by our favorite animal characters, in a jolly rhyming journey.

Cover unavailable

79

Boats on the Bay

Jeanne Walker Harvey, Grady McFerrin

4.0

A KidLitTV recommended book!

A large-format picture book about a bunch of boats found on a busy bay, buoyed by simple, spare, and lyrical text. Inspired by the San Francisco Bay but with universal appeal, the book features a spectacular double-spread gatefold finale showing a boat parade and fireworks glowing against a city backdrop.

Cover unavailable

80

Maiden Voyage

Tania Aebi, Bernadette Brennan

4.0

Tania Aebe was an eighteen-year-old dropout and barfly. She was going nowhere until her father offered her a challenge. He would offer her either a college education or a twenty-six-foot sloop in which she had to sail around the world alone. She chose the boat and for two years it was her home, as she negotiated weather, illness, fear, and ultimately, a spiritual quest that brought her home to her

81

The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge

Hildegarde H. Swift, Lynd Ward

4.0

On the Manhattan bank of the Hudson River, a small lighthouse--made of steel and painted bright red--proudly protects boats with his faithful beam. One day a great expanse of gray steel, which also shines a bright light into the fog and darkness, is built over it. The little red lighthouse feels insignificant and useless in comparison but soon learns that . . . small can be mighty!

Cover unavailable

82

Everything I Never Told You

Celeste Ng

4.0

Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.

So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family

Recommended by Sherrilyn Ifill.

Sherrilyn Ifill

@BronxRiverBooks @pronounced_ing I love this book. [source]

Cover unavailable

83

The Hen Who Sailed Around the World: A True Story

Guirec Soudée

4.0

Meet Monique! In this true story, online phenomenon Guirec Soudée shares his adventures both unbelievable and heartwarming, sailing around the world with his brave, affectionate red hen, Monique.
Monique is a highly accomplished chicken: she surfs, she skateboards, and she just crossed the world on a tiny boat with her human companion, Guirec, who helped steer. On their three-year journey, together

84

The Octonauts and The Growing Goldfish

Meomi

4.0

Join global sensations, the Octonauts, in an exciting new title in the classic picture book series that inspired the phenomenally successful animated TV show, broadcast around the world.

The Octonauts are a crew of cute animals who love to explore the big blue ocean. From their underwater base, the Octopod, the eight intrepid friends are always ready for fun and excitement!

It was a sunny day under

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85

The Boys in the Boat: The True Story of an American Team's Epic Journey to Win Gold at the 1936 Olympics

Daniel James Brown

4.0

The #1 New York Times bestseller about the Greatest Generation freshly adapted for the next generation.

For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the Unive

Cover unavailable

86

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower

C. S. Forester

4.0

Here we meet Horatio Hornblower, a young man of 17, in this Volume #1 of what becomes the 11 volume set about the career of this British Naval officer fighting against Napoleon and his tyranny of Europe as an inexperienced midshipman in January 1794. Bullied and forced into a duel, he takes an even chance. And then he has many more chances to show his skills and ingenuities - from sailing a ship f

Cover unavailable

87

4 Pack Chunky Lift a Flap Board Books: Little Red Barn/ Little Blue Boat/Little Green Frog/Little Yellow Bee

Ginger Swift

4.0

Cover unavailable

88

The White Dragon (Pern, #3)

Anne McCaffrey

4.0

Jaxom, a rebellious young aristocrat, and Ruth, his white dragon, fly into another time to retrieve the queen's stolen egg, thereby averting a dragonrider war, and find their planet threatened once again by a Threadfall.

89

Bear Came Along

Richard T. Morris and LeUyen Pham

4.0

A cheerful and action-packed adventure about the importance of friendship and community from a successful author and illustrator duo!

Once there was a river flowing through a forest. The river didn't know it was capable of adventures until a big bear came along. But adventures aren't any fun by yourself, and so enters Froggy, Turtles, Beaver, Racoons, and Duck.

These very different animals take off

Cover unavailable

90

Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"

Deborah Heiligman

4.0

Recommended by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Laurie Halse Anderson

I’m so excited that this book is almost in the world!! Crafted w @DHeiligman’s deep research & powerful narrative voice, this true life tale of WWII is stupendous! https://t.co/Pnt7up1wqS [source]

Cover unavailable

91

Vincent Comes Home

Jessixa Bagley

4.0

Vincent lives on a cargo ship. Life is good—fresh fish to eat and seagulls to chase all day long. At night he stares at the stars that chart his ship's course.

Though the ship makes stops all over the world, Vincent has never been home. In fact, he wonders what "home" is. Then, when one final stop is made and the crew return to their families, Vincent takes his first steps on dry land and discovers

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92

LeBron James: The Boy Who Became King

Anthony Curcio

4.0

The Boy Who Became King is the inspiring true story of NBA superstar LeBron James. This Fully illustrated picture book biography tells the story of a young boy and his loving, single mother and their struggle to make it on their own. With the help of a coach and his family, LeBron is introduced to the game of basketball.

Against all odds, “the kid from Akron” not only makes it to the NBA but becom

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93

How to Speak Dragonese (How to Train Your Dragon, #3)

Cressida Cowell

4.0

Toothless has been captured, the nanodragon is about to be gobbled and sharkworms are on the loose. Once again we are relying on Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III to be a hero.

Cover unavailable

94

Slaves of Socorro (The Brotherband Chronicles Book 4)

John Flanagan

4.0

Cover unavailable

95

Scorpion Mountain (The Brotherband Chronicles Book 5)

John Flanagan

4.0

96

Little Blue Boat

Ginger Swift

4.0

Cover unavailable

97

I'm Mighty!

Kate McMullan, Jim McMullan

4.0

From Kate and Jim McMullan, the popular creators of I Stink! and I’m Dirty!—now a streaming animated series—comes a raucous tribute to a tireless harbor hero. This time a tugboat proves that even the smallest of us can be MIGHTY!

When big ships get to the harbor, they need me! 'Cause I'm MIGHTY! And I can nudge, bump, butt, shove, ram, push, and pull 'em in.

You think this tug's too small to pull in

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98

Little Bear's Little Boat

Eve Bunting

4.0

Little Bear loves his little boat. But Little Bear begins to grow and grow, until one day he doesn’t fit in his little boat anymore! All children who experience growing pains will appreciate Little Bear’s predicament. And they will smile with satisfaction as the solution to his problem unfolds in simple, lyrical words and charming pictures from two award-winning picture-book creators.

When Little B

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99

Lightship

Brian Floca

4.0

You may never have heard of a lightship. Once, lightships anchored on waters across America, on the oceans and in the Great Lakes, floating where lighthouses could not be built. Smaller than most ships, but more steadfast, too, they held their spots, through calm and storm, to guide sailors toward safe waters. In these pages one lightship and her crew (and cat) again hold their place. The crew goe

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100

Master and Commander (Aubrey & Maturin, #1)

Patrick O'Brian

4.0

As the Royal Navy takes part in the wars against Napoleonic France, young Jack Aubrey receives his first command, the small, old, and slow HMS Sophie. Accompanied by his eccentric new friend, the physician and naturalist Stephen Maturin, Aubrey does battle with the naval hierarchy, with his own tendency to make social blunders, and with the challenges of forging an effective crew -- before ultimat