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The state of Maine is a great place to live. If you’re planning a trip to Maine or just want to get to know the state and culture better, these twenty delightful Maine children’s books are worth reading.
- Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen
- One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey
- Moose on the Loose by Jon and Ann Hassett
- Little Loon by Fran Hodgkins
- Lighthouse Dog to the Rescue by Angeli Perrow
- Grandma Drove the Lobsterboat by Katie Clark
- Lobsterman by Dahlov Ipcar
- Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
- Wild Fox by Cherie Mason
- Many Hands: A Penobscot Indian Story by Angeli Perrow
- Island Boy by Barbara Cooney
- Andre the Famous Harbor Seal by Fran Hodgkins
- Visiting Aunt Sylvia’s by Heather Austin
- Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
- Maine’s ABCs by Susan Ramsay Hoguet
- Moose of Course by Lynn Plourde
- Dahlov Ipcar’s Maine Alphabet
- Counting Our Way to Maine by Maggie Smith
- The Little Green Island with a Little Red House by Sharon Lovejoy
- Down East in the Ocean by Peter and Connie Roop
We’re Mainers, and we love these Maine children’s books! Some of these authors have written several books and would make wonderful author studies, too.
If you want to know our top three choices from this list, check out the video below.
Maine Children’s Books
Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen
This delightful Maine children’s book was inspired by a real circus ship that ran aground a coastal Maine island on its way from New Brunswick to Portland. In Chris Van Dusen’s story the animals survive the wreckage and swim ashore. At first the islanders are skeptical of the visitors. But when a shed catches fire and the tiger rescues a little girl attitudes change. Life is good for all until the angry circus owner comes looking for his animals. This book has a surprise inside that kids love–a two-page illustration where all the animals are cleverly hidden in plain sight. It’s a book kids ask to read over and over again.
One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey
Sal has a loose tooth. And that means she’s becoming a big girl. She shares the exciting news with a loon and a seal as she makes her way down to the beach where her father is digging clams. She’s surprised to learn that clams don’t have teeth and neither do fish hawks, loons, and gulls. During the conversation Sal suddenly discovers her tooth has fallen out without her realizing it. Now she can’t put it under her pillow and make a wish. After a trip to Buck’s Harbor, Sal ends up getting her wish after all.
Moose on the Loose by John & Ann Hassett
Max is a curious moose. When he first encounters people he’s full of questions. Did they eat pond weeds? Where did they come from? After following them into the woods and getting lost, he gets guidance from a friendly chickadee who helps him find a town. Max has the time of his life exploring the town to find out more about these curious people. Word spreads that there’s a moose on the loose and Max finds himself in a dilemma when he winds up stranded on top of a tall building.
Little Loon by Fran Hodgkins
Little Loon is a beautifully illustrated book about the life of a little loon from its birth to when it leaves the lake on its first migration journey. Just a day after she’s born, she’s ready to flee the nest and swim, catching a ride on her mother or father’s back when she needs a rest. Her fuzzy brown feathers make diving difficult, so her parents feed her fish. But eventually she exchanges her downy feathers for ones like her parents. In this book kids also learn ways humans can pose a threat to loons.
Lighthouse Dog to the Rescue by Angeli Perrow
Pauline and Millie live in Owls Head where their family keeps the lighthouse lit to warn incoming boats of the rocky shore. One wintry night the glass is frosted and the bell is frozen solid. There seems to be no way to help Mr. Ames who is out at sea. Based on a true story of lighthouse keepers in the 1930s, the family dog turns out to be a hero.
Grandma Drove the Lobsterboat by Katie Clark
It’s Labor Day and Grandma is looking forward to relaxing until the lobster bake begins later on. But while hauling in lobsters for dinner, her son gets sick and can’t drive the lobsterboat. The fog rolls in, and they can’t get ahold of anyone else to help. It’s up to Billy to be his grandma’s eyes, guiding her as she drives the boat back to the mainland.
Lobsterman by Dahlov Ipcar
Although written as fiction, this Maine children’s book is very informative. Kids learn all about lobstering and terms, such as gaff and lobster car, as they spend the day with Larry and his dad. This year Larry is old enough to set his first trap and he catches lobsters for dinner. Preparing the lobster trap buoys and overhauling traps takes lots of work, as does going out on the boat to set the traps and bring them in. It’s a year round job for a lobsterman.
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
One of my favorite Maine children’s books, Miss Rumphius is the story of the Lupine Lady. As a child she was called Alice and spent her time with her grandfather, an immigrant to America and artist. His stories of faraway places inspire her to travel when she grows up. He always told Alice “You must do something to make the world more beautiful.” It issn’t until late in her life that Alice discovers how to carry out that charge. After a long winter recovering from illness she spends the summer scattering lupine seeds in her seaside neighborhood.
Wild Fox by Cherie Mason
This is a true story of when the author befriends a wounded fox that limps into her yard in Deer Isle. Cherie feeds him regularly, hoping to help him gain enough strength to survive his injury. Over time he grows less fearful and even approaches her so she can stroke his nose. As their relationship grows, so does nature’s calling. After a year male foxes set out to find their own territory, and so the author must say her goodbye.
Many Hands: A Penobscot Indian Story by Angeli Perrow
Lily misses her grandmother and is reminded of her when she sees a dragonfly, which has significance to her people, the Penobscot. After dreaming of her grandmother, Lily makes a basket, in the way her grandmother taught her. Proud of her beautiful basket, she shows her family members. But she’s disappointed when they keep saying, “many hands make the basket.” They don’t give her the recognition she’s longing to hear. In the end Lily realizes the truth behind those words and her basket receives a place of honor during a feast.
Island Boy by Barbara Cooney
Maine was Barbara Cooney’s favorite place in the world and this book was dearest to her heart. Island Boy is about Matthais, the youngest in a family of twelve children living on Tibbets Island. Matthais loves island life–plowing, planting, wood-chopping, fishing, hunting, and boating. Over time all of his siblings grow up and leave the island. Matthais leaves too, to work as cabin boy for his uncle’s schooner. But Matthais can’t forget his home. After fifteen years of travel he returns to the island. The rest of the story tells of the next generation of islanders, his youngest daughter Annie and his grandson.
Andre the Famous Harbor Seal by Fran Hodgkins
Andre the Famous Harbor seal is based on the true story of a man and a seal who developed a unique bond. Harry Goodridge was always interested in exploring under the sea with a creature who knew it best. One day he finds a seal pup and decides to take it home to meet his family. (This is his third attempt to take in and raise a pup.) Harry doesn’t expect his relationship with Andre to blossom the way it does. Andre is free to come and go as he pleases, but he enjoys his time with Harry and keeps coming back. Harry learns invaluable lessons about the intelligence of harbor seals and the story of Andre is well-known even after more than fifty years.
Visiting Aunt Sylvia’s by Heather Austin
Visiting Aunt Sylvia’s is a story of four seasons in Maine. In the fall when the children visit their aunt at her woods cabin, they gather wood for winter, search for tourmaline, and make apple pie. In the winter they go skiing, feed the birds, and eat baked beans. When spring comes it’s mud season and time to plant and gather fiddleheads. By summertime it’s warm enough to swim at the waterfall, eat wild blackberries, and lobster.
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk. Those are the sounds you hear as Sal fills her bucket with blueberries. She and her mom spend the morning on a mountain in Maine picking berries. Unbeknown to them another mom and child are on the mountain doing the same thing. But they are black bears! This Maine children’s book is a classic that will captivate any young child. Preschoolers will love it too.
Maine Children’s Books for Toddlers & Preschoolers
Maine’s ABC by Susan Ramsay Hoguet
This rhyming alphabet book introduces children to animals of Maine, like alewives, puffins, and quahogs as well as other things, like islands. Each upper case letter is illustrated in soft watercolors.
Moose of Course by Lynn Plourde
Have you ever seen a moose? The boy in this story is bound and determined to do whatever it takes to lure a moose. Dressing up like a moose, wrapping himself in weeds, and setting a trap won’t work. If only he’d listened to advice. Written for two-four year olds, this hilarious book will get little ones giggling. The text is full of rhythm and rhyme that keeps it lively and fun.
Dahlov Ipcar’s Maine Alphabet
Dahlov Ipcar’s Maine Alphabet is a board book filled with colorful illustrations of Maine’s wildlife. The rhythm of the text is soothing to the ear. The first two-page spread reads, “A is for animals, wild and free. B is for birds who dance by the sea. C is for clams we dig at low tide. D is for deer who like to hide.”
Counting Our Way to Maine by Maggie Smith
A family packs up and leaves their bustling city life behind to spend summer in Maine. Kids can count the items in the illustrations, like the eight mountains, the twelve lobster pots, and fifteen boxes of blueberries.
The Little Green Island With a Little Red House by Sharon Lovejoy
Full of rhythm, this book teaches children colors while sharing the animals and flowers found in Maine. But kids learn more a few basic colors. The author uses color words like saffron, russet, and chartreuse.
Down East in the Ocean by Peter and Connie Roop
Down East in the Ocean is a wonderful book to sing to your little ones. Following the format of the familiar rhyme Over in the Meadow by Olive A. Wadsworth, this counting books highlights ten different Maine animals.
Maine is a great place to live and to visit. Reading these delightful Maine children’s books is a great way to get to know this unique state and enjoy good storytelling. Some of these books are based on true stories and others are inspired by the beauty of Maine. Happy reading!
