It may be getting cooler in many parts of the northern hemisphere, but if you live in or visit the tropics and are close to the sea, I found a Perfect Picture Book about one of my favorite activities. Ready to dive in?
Title: Over and Under the Coral Reef
Written By: Kate Messner
Illustrated By: Christopher Silas Neal
Publisher/Date: Chronicle Kids/2025
Suitable for Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: snorkeling, coral reef, fish, turtles, sea creatures, coral, sea, tropical areas
Opening:
Over the sun-warmed sand we walk, to the edge of the sea, where waves lap the shore.
Brief Synopsis: A father and son snorkel over a coral reef
Links to Resources:
· Check out the back matter for an Author’s Note, descriptions of the featured animals, and further reading;
Why I Like this Book:
Part of the Over and Under series by Messner and Neal, Over and Under the Coral Reef is a deep dive (pardon the pun) into the sea creatures that live in and over coral reefs.
Readers experience a young boy’s first foray to a coral reef, as he snorkels with his father to the “gardens of coral teeming with fish.”
The bulk of the book is a description of the many sea creatures the pair encounter, with detailed illustrations illuminating them and the surrounding blue waters. Anyone curious to learn more can check out the extensive back matter where Messner describes every creature.
For anyone curious about snorkeling, coral reefs, and the creatures found there, Over and Under the Coral Reef is a lovely introduction, perfect for reading at home and in classrooms.
A Note about Craft:
As with other Over and Under books, Messner uses first-person point-of-view to bring immediacy to the story. And as with others in the series, an adult with a particular skill leads a child to discover what lives over and under, in this case, the coral reef.
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!
Wander, Ponder, Write 