5 Deep Diving Picture Books About Submarines

Super Submarines, by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker
This book, written in verse by award winning poet Tony Mitton, is both super fun and incredibly informative. This boat is not your typical submarine—it’s piloted by animals (rabbit, bird, and mouse) dressed as crew members for one! But as you go along for the journey, you are bound to pick up bits of information about the different parts of the boat (propeller, periscope, rudder, hydroplane) and even a thing or two about sonar navigation. And if you want more nautical adventures, check out Mitton and Parker’s other collaboration, Busy Boats.

What’s Inside: Submarines, by Aaron Murphy
Chances are your young reader has never actually stepped foot inside of a submarine. (I can confidently say that as an older reader, I still haven’t!) This book is the next best thing to actually climbing aboard one of these impressive vessels. The fact-filled book takes a look at submarines from the past (WWI) all the way to today, and gives you a tour and look at the technology that makes it all possible.

Submarines, by Joanne Mattern
This informative book is part of the How Things Work series. (If your young scientist is interested in learning more about Toilets or Lightbulbs there are books for them, too!) If you’ve ever wondered how exactly people are able to live in a submarine for weeks at a time, without being able to open their windows, this book has got you covered. It even includes color photographs, diagrams, and an arts and crafts project that involves making your own submarine out of soda bottle!

You Wouldn’t Want to Be in The First Submarine!: An Undersea Expedition You’d Rather Avoid, by Ian Graham, David Antram, and David Salariya
I could already tell you I wouldn’t want to be in the first submarine, and this book definitely confirmed my fears! History buffs will enjoy reading about The Hunley submarine, built by the Confederates during the Civil War, which sank THREE times. (Which is three times too many in my book!) Luckily technology has improved quite a bit since those days. Read at your own risk.

In My Yellow Submarine, by Marie Whitton
And here we have another magical story about a yellow submarine! (Although this story does not contain John, Ringo, or Paul.) Marie Whitton writes in poetic verse (which is great fun for reading aloud together) about a submarine that travels to the bottom of the deep sea. Bright and bold illustrations combined with a fun and fantastical adventure will captivate any aspiring sea explorer.