Secrets of the Ocean: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature

by Alicia Klepeis, Neon Squid, Kaja Kajfez (illustrator)

A beautifully illustrated collection of 5-minute bedtime stories about the wildlife found in seas and oceans around the world.

Every ocean contains a thousand secrets… In this charming anthology of children’s stories by Alicia Klepeis readers will be guided under the waves to meet the amazing animals that live there. In one story an orca grandmother teaches younger members of the pod how to find the best fish, while another looks at a mimic octopus as it changes appearance to disguise itself from different predators. Kids will be thrilled by the tale of an otter and her cub playing in a kelp forest, and marvel at a jellyfish that looks like a fried egg!

Other stories feature swimming iguanas, diving penguins, deep-sea anglerfish, albatrosses in love, leaping dolphins, sleepy dugongs, majestic whales, hungry sea turtles, ancient sharks, and marching crabs! All of these marine animals and their habitats are brought to life with impressive skill by illustrator Kaja Kajfež.

Each story in Secrets of the Ocean is based on the real biology and behavior of these amazing wild animals, and at the end of each tale readers will find out more about the science that inspired the story. So as they drift off to sleep, they will know a little bit more about the world around them.

The cover features a timeless design with colorful foil and a cloth texture, making this book the perfect gift.

Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

From color-changing creatures to extreme environments to far-out foods, Alicia Klepeis loves to research fun and out-of-the-ordinary topics that bring the world to young readers. Alicia began her career at the National Geographic Society. She is the author of more than 200 kids’ books. Her nonfiction titles include Go Wild! Frogs; Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts; Jane Goodall; Living In The Rain Forest; The Philadelphia Eagles; Polar Bears & Penguins: A Pretty Cool Introduction to the Arctic and Antarctic; The Science And Technology Of Ben Franklin; Superfast Cars; and The World’s Strangest Foods.

Alicia's fictional titles include the anthology Secrets of the Forest: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired By Nature, named Children's Book of the Week by The Independent. Her picture book Francisco’s Kites was named to the Tejas Star Reading List. She is also the author of several World Adventure chapter books including Mountains, Monsoons, and Mules. She has written over 100 articles in magazines such as National Geographic Kids, Kiki, and FACES. Alicia is currently working on several projects involving amazing animals, American history, and world cultures. She lives with her family in upstate New York.

Reviews

[MaryEllen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Secrets of the Ocean: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature by Alicia Klepeis on audiobook. The narration was very good and I think any child and parent would love it. I think somewhere around 5 or 6 to 10 or 12 would probably be the age that this book would resonate with and yet some of my younger grandchildren would be delighted. Each section is two parts. First there is some story about the sea creature being talked about and then there is a section with the more scientific facts. I think listening to this book, with all of it’s audio additions while looking at the physical text would be perfect! I would have loved a book like this on those nights when you need to do the bedtime routine but you are so exhausted that you don’t want to read a thing. The book was narrated by Dalia Ramhi who has a very soothing voice.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @Macmillion Audio for the ALC I received in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not entirely convinced that this is a bedtime story book but it is a really fascinating and informational book about ocean creatures perfect for ages 6-12. I saw that a lot of people had listened to the audiobook but I definitely think the illustrations enhance the experience greatly so would recommend the physical version as well. Each of the 15 animals is given roughly 8 pages to share their story with words and pictures, including 2 pages of science behind the story at the end. Some of the animals featured are iguanas, albatross, dugongs, sharks, penguins, otters, etc. They are a wide variety from around the world. Recommend! (Neon Squid has been publishing some great stuff!)

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version and it had so many cute stories with sound effects! I appreciated that after each story there was a science section that went into greater detail about the creature and location in the story.

[Alice (Children's Books Librarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, colourful and perfect for bedtime. Secrets of the Ocean is a family book with scientific facts throughout, very visual and will appeal to those with an interest in nature!

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets of the Ocean is a delightful audiobook filled with information on many lesser-known sea creatures and animals that can be found around the ocean. I listened to this with my 3 year old and was surprised at how well it kept his attention. There were stories of albatross love, as the birds famously mate for life, sea otter cubs sleeping in bed of kelp, deep-sea anglerfish catching their prey with bioluminescence, and iguanas able to swim while camouflaged from predators on the air above and the sea below. The descriptions in this book really brought everything to life. That being said, I think illustrations are necessary to fully appreciate the book. This would be a great book to own a physical copy of and read in tandem with the audiobook. Overall, it was a fun and educational book and I would recommend it for children.

[Alesandra: banter_or_bust · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

If you’re familiar with Octonauts, this felt similar! This is a collection of short stories with each focused on a specific marine creature. The story was followed by more specific information about that creature – ie a creature report.

My kids and I enjoyed these stories. My 6 year old specifically is very interested in sea creatures and is knowledgeable about sea life; he loved these stories. The narrator did a great job proving interest in their storytelling voice. I also appreciated the music segways. Depending on your bedtime routines, I don’t think this would be an ideal bedtime audiobook – it has too much energy for right before bed (at least for my house). It was great for car rides though!

Thank you NetGalley, Alicia Klepeis, and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC.

[Zaidee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of stories is very nicely done! The narrator does a solid job; her delivery is crisp and clear and will be great for young listeners, but it just didn't really appeal to me. I will say, this is more like listening to a nature documentary than a bedtime story. Sometimes the energy just feels a little too high for falling asleep to, but this can vary from story to story. The addition of ocean sounds and music in the background does make for a soothing atmosphere at times. Kiddos who love learning about animals or are into facts and information will get a lot out of this collection, particularly as each story ends with more details on the animals mentioned throughout. I could see this being a great option for an audio-enabled book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC!

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable yet educational read. I read this via audiobook with my kids and they were fully invested in the story. The narration was done in such a way that it kept the kids attention. I enjoyed how extra inflection was added to keep the kids invested. The individual stories were also short enough to keep them from wandering. I love that they listened to a story that taught them about ocean creatures and their lives. The science behind the story was my favorite element. I really appreciated how each individual story was followed by the science element to tie it together rather than providing that information in an appendices at the end.

ALC courtesy of Netgalley and MacMillan Audio

[Teresa S · Rating 5 out of 5]

We listened to the audio version of Secrets of the Ocean, by Alicia Klepeis. It was extremely interesting with a good mix of common ocean habitats/animals and some very unique ones. The audiobook would be a great support for the printed version. It would be helpful to have the pictures of the different habitats talked about. The audio version allowed for imagining the story. It could also lead to some research to further understand the items mentioned. The Science Behind each story was extremely interesting! Both kids and adults will enjoy this book!

Thanks NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced reader copy for my honest review.

[Rebecca Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun bedtime story book! Secrets of the Ocean was a great listen. The narrator was perfect for kids, the background music was appropriately calming and not too loud, and the stories were informative and a perfect length. I really enjoyed the Science Behind the Story sections at the end of each story. I do think having a hard copy would be nice for illustration purposes, but then you'd lose the music and ability to listen as you lie in a dark room, so I think the audio book is definitely a win!

Thank you to NetGalley, Alicia Klepeis, and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for my review.

[Alyssa Cluff · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My daughter absolutely loved these stories. A beautifully themed melodic track plays behind the narration. Each story has an accompanying themed track. The narrator does an amazing job portraying the stories and adding emphasis to keep the listener engaged. The stories are more of a narrative outline of what the animals are doing (think documentary) rather than a fun fictional tale. At the end of each story there are also extra facts about each animal, which my daughter absolutely loved.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook with my family. Each story really brought the ocean animals to life. It was a lot like listening to a nature documentary. And I loved that each story also included scientific facts at the end. I thought each story was the perfect length for young kids to focus.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy.

[Kelli Santistevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated collection of 5-minute bedtime stories about the wildlife found in seas and oceans around the world.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for sending me an audio ARC of this book! I really enjoyed this book. I feel like I was listening to a nature documentary instead of watching one.

[Breanne ~ The Literary Life of Beans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and NeonSquid for the audio ARC of this book.

4.5 stars rounded up
I loved the stories in this book! I was expecting it to be more fictional but it makes nonfiction fun for kids to listen to! The music is just a little extra magic. I loved the narrator as well. She has the perfect bubble voice for children's books.

[Danielle Mccoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I loved these nature stories based on facts and science. I enjoyed the "science behind the story" that went with each one. I liked the music that transitioned each story and got you ready for a beautiful tale. A great nighttime storybook.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute book. I enjoyed the audio version a lot, but would love to read the printed version too. The narrator did a great job and it made it very enjoyable to listen to.

Thank you netGalley and the publisher for the ALC.