About the Holiday
Earth Month was established in the United States on April 4, 1970 following a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA. The initiative’s purpose was to raise awareness of and action on issues concerning the environment. By 1990, Earth Month had become a global event, and in 1992, the United Nations became actively involved, further increasing the organization’s visibility. Today, leaders, and environmental activists from all over the world work together to create sustainable development and offer climate solutions to prevent further harm to our planet’s natural resources, making Earth Month widely recognized as one of the most important month-long observances in the world.
Thank you to Phaidon Press for sending me a copy of this book for review!
Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea: A Lift-and-See Book
Written by Janet Lawler | Illustrated by James Weston Lewis
Splash into an underwater adventure with your little one in this board book that introduces six sea creatures, all of which have remarkable characteristics that help them survive and thrive. Diving in, children are instantly immersed in the colorful undersea world, where tropical fish, seagrass, anemones, coral, curious crabs, shrimp, and more invite them to play a guessing game, courtesy of the fun lift-the-flap format.
Illustration copyright © 2026 by James Weston Lewis. Text copyright © 2026 by Janet Lawler. Courtesy of Phaidon Press.
Janet Lawler’s charming and educational rhymes give kids hints about who is hiding just at their fingertips while teaching them a salient fact or two about each creature. One favorite ocean dweller describes itself this way: “No need to alarm / if I break off an arm. / I can make a new start / by regrowing that part! Who am I?” Behind the creature’s hiding place, children find a sea star and a bit more information about their helpful trait. Young nature lovers will be excited to add these fascinating nuggets to their growing repertoire and share them with family and friends.
Illustration copyright © 2026 by James Weston Lewis. Text copyright © 2026 by Janet Lawler. Courtesy of Phaidon Press.
James Weston Lewis’s spectacular illustrations will enthrall readers with their vibrant colors and layered perspectives that provide an up-close view of each creature in its habitat as well as a realistic feeling of the depth and movement under the sea. The sturdy flaps are die cut, allowing little fingers to easily grasp and lift or pull them without help. Peek-a-boo hints visible around these flaps entice guessing. Lewis has populated his ocean views with a wide array of fish, crabs, shells, mussels, turtles, sharks, and plants that kids will love pointing out, naming, and learning about.
Illustration copyright © 2026 by James Weston Lewis. Text copyright © 2026 by Janet Lawler. Courtesy of Phaidon Press.
Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea is a fresh, exciting board book that will stimulate sensory and intellectual curiosity in young children. The book’s well-conceived design will grow with children from captivating babies and toddlers with its colors, interactive elements, and rhythmical text to fascinating preschoolers and beyond with its abundance of gorgeous lifelike details and intriguing facts delivered in delightfully smart lyrical verses. It makes a fun take-along book for trips to the aquarium, beach, and even the pet store! Families, preschool educators and all school and public libraries will want Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea on their shelves.
Ages: Preschool and up
Phaidon Press, 2026 | ISBN 978-1837290895
About the Author
Janet Lawler has published more than 30 fiction and nonfiction picture books and early readers. Her recent titles include Celebrate! A Happy Book of Firsts (Feiwel & Friends, 2022), Oceans of Love (Viking, 2022), and Walrus Song (Candlewick, 2021). Her popular seasonal titles are Fright School, Winter Cats, Snowzilla, and Mirabel’s Missing Valentines. Visit her website at JanetLawler.com.
About the Illustrator
James Weston-Lewis is an illustrator and printmaker based in London. He studied illustration at the University of the West of England, where he specialised in woodcut and linocut printmaking. His first children’s book, The Great Fire of London, was longlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. His clients include: The Financial Times, Radio Times, The Times,Telegraph and many more. Visit him at jwestonlewis.co.uk.
Earth Month Activity
Match Up the Animals! Game
Test your powers of memory with this Sea Creatures Memory Game!
Supplies
- Printable Sea Creatures Memory Game Cards Page 1 | Page 2
- Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
- Scissors
Directions
- Print 2 copies of the Sea Creatures Memory Game Cards pages to have double cards. To make the game easy, print 2 copies of one of these pages. For a harder game print 2 copies of both pages. To make the game even more difficult print 3 or more copies of the pages.
- Color the cards
- Cut out the cards
- Lay the cards face down on a table in random order
- Turn over cards to look for matching pairs
- If the cards don’t match lay them both face down again
- When you find a matching pair leave the cards face up
- Continue playing until you find all the matching animal pairs or groups
You can purchase Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea from these booksellers
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop
Picture Book Review
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