Bernstrom, Daniel. One Day at the Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea. Brandon James Scott, Illus. Hippo Park, 04/2025. [48]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-66264-082-7. GRADES Preschool–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
A little girl searches for pearls under the sea when a shark comes along. To save herself, she makes a deal to find him something for his dinner in this clever story similar to folktales such as Margaret Read McDonald’s The Fat Cat (2001). The text has a Seuss-like jaunty rhyme with repetition, describing how the girl offers various sea creatures that end up hurting the shark which he spits out, including a squid, an octopus, and a puffer fish. The digitally rendered cartoon artwork is filled with bright colors, and the girl is depicted as Black with two curly puffs of hair. This will work well as a readaloud and as a way of showing a number of ocean animals. Review based on an ARC.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool