Deep-Sea Treasure Hunt🐙

The story begins in clear, warm water, where the turtle is waiting. Then, page by page, it goes deeper. First through a coral reef, where fish of every color swim past like little glowing windows, then over a field of seagrass swaying in the current. Every now and then, the turtle must go up to the surface to breathe, leaving the child to wait by a rock and look around on their own.

Down at the sunken ship lives an octopus. She's so shy that she changes color and hides in an old pot whenever anyone comes near. She's seen the chest but is too afraid to say where it is. The riddle carved into its lid can only be solved with something the child knows, and we won't reveal the answer here.

This idea is for children who are the last to get out of the bath, who have snorkeled on vacation or who could stand in front of an aquarium for hours. It also works for a child who finds the sea a little scary, because the turtle is a calm guide all the way down.

A three-year-old can enjoy the colors, the fish to point at and a friendly turtle saying, ‘Follow me.’ An eight-year-old can keep track of the octopus's clues, explore the rooms of a ship and try to crack the riddle before turning the page.

A sibling could be a diving buddy, and the family dog could swim along like a curious seal. If your child has a diving mask, flippers or a favorite swimsuit, describe them so they can appear in the pictures. If you've recently been to the beach, that very beach could be where the dive begins.

After reading, think about what you'd put in a chest for someone to find a hundred years from now. Pack a box with a drawing and a letter, and hide it at the back of a cupboard. Talk about why the turtle has to go up to the surface, too: it breathes air, just like you.