PPBF – If You Went to the Bottom of the Ocean

I had the pleasure of attending an online reading of today’s Perfect Picture Book a few weeks ago. I had preordered it already for my grandkids. Had I not already done so, I would have ordered it straight away. Enjoy!

Title: If You Went to the Bottom of the Ocean

Written By: Brooke McIntyre

Illustrated By: Gordy Wright

Publisher/Date: Chronicle Books/May 2026

Suitable for Ages: 5-8

Themes/Topics: ocean, exploration, ocean creatures, ocean zones, nonfiction

Opening:

If you went to the bottom of the ocean,

Traveled to the very, very bottom of the ocean—

away from the beach, out past the reefs, beyond the near-shore sea floor where walruses forage hundreds of feet deep, beyond “the wall” where continents drop off steep—

into open ocean you’d plunge—

like a seabird, break the surface—

through the top layer of ocean, where the sun’s rays reach a portal to a world beneath.

Brief Synopsis: A deep dive into the ocean, in all its glory.

Links to Resources:

·      Check out the Author’s Note, Dive Deeper, The Deepest Points in Our Oceans, and The Ocean, Layer by Layer in the back matter;

·      Virtually explore the National Aquarium, or visit in person if possible;

·      Check out these free sea creature art activities from the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Why I Like this Book:

From the first sentence that fills a spread and a half, it’s clear that If You Went to the Bottom of the Ocean is about ocean exploration, but not just any ocean exploration. This exploration is not by some famous scientist or long ago diver. Rather, we are along for the entire journey. “You” are part of every spread, complete with questions to answer, “Did you spot the ray with fins like wings?” At another point you are directed to turn “your lamps off” and now “turn them on.” How cool is it to be down in the midnight zone of the ocean and wondering whether you’re “in the sea or a star field.” And if you’re wondering how far down you are, McIntyre measures depths in football fields – such a kid-relatable measurement!

Not only does McIntyre draw us into the story by including “you,” she poses questions throughout and draws on poetic devices to help the language sing.

Wright’s vivid illustrations combine so many shades of blue and such detailed ocean creatures.  The unique layout, with several vertical spreads and a gatefold in the back matter, also adds to the appeal of If You Went to the Bottom of the Ocean.

Whether read in a classroom as part of a unit on sea creatures or oceans, or at home, I highly recommend this picture book.

A Note about Craft:

As is evident from the title, McIntyre uses second person point-of-view to engage readers in this nonfiction topic. Few if any of us will ever journey to the bottom of the ocean, but through questions, directions, kid-friendly measurements and more, McIntyre enables us to see ourselves in the inky depths as we explore this little-known realm.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!