If you’re searching for thrilling titles to share with your little monster lovers, check out our book picks for exciting adventures featuring some of the friendliest—and the tentacle-iest—sea monsters. Join Lula as she befriends a tiny sea monster named Bean who won’t stop growing; follow Bo on an epic quest to catch some not-so-scary monsters; and hop on board the Saucy Sandra with Mr. Penguin for some bookish fun at sea!

Lula and the Sea Monster

Lula and the Sea Monster
by Alex Latimer

Lula loves living by the beach. But soon, her family must leave their home to make way for a new highway. Counting down the days to her move, Lula walks along the beach to find keepsakes and discovers a small sea monster that she names Bean. Each day Lula returns to the beach to feed him. And each day Bean grows bigger and bigger. But what will happen to Lula’s new friend once she moves away? From popular children’s book author-illustrator Alex Latimer comes this delightfully odd story of friendship and standing up for others.

Bo the Brave

Bo the Brave
by Bethan Woollvin

Bo wants to be just like her brothers and capture a fearsome monster, but her brothers say she is too small. Luckily, Bo isn’t one to take no for an answer, and so she sets off on a quest to catch a monster of her own. Can Bo defeat the monstrous creatures she encounters, or has she got the wrong idea about who the real monsters are? Author-illustrator Bethan Woollvin, creator of the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Little Red, delivers an original fairy tale with a spirited female protagonist, a vibrant medieval backdrop, and a clever twist ending.

Mr Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise

Mr. Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise
by Alex T. Smith

Mr. Penguin and his Adventuring gang board a luxury cruise ship for some much-needed rest and a little entertainment, and Mr. Penguin isn’t even bothered that he can’t swim and is deeply afraid of water. But when a series of odd events infiltrates a façade of glamorous parties, film stars and politicians, Mr. Penguin can’t help but feel that something shifty is happening on board. This third installment in the humorous, page-turning series from Alex T. Smith, the author-illustrator of the popular Claude series, is sure to thrill young readers looking for a good adventure.