This post is a free preview from the Loop Families Book Club Membership.

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Kid Favorites for Florida & the Keys

All December book links for Amazon are on our public December Books Page. Amazon doesn’t allow affiliate links behind paywalls, so this page stays open. Everything below is for members only.

If you’re cruising the Loop with little ones this month, you’re in for a treat! December brings warm weather, lots of wildlife sightings, and endless opportunities to turn the Florida coastline into a floating nature classroom.

Here are some of my favorite books for kids ages 3–12 that pair beautifully with life along the ICW and in the Keys.

Please share your book, movie, and activity ideas in the comments!

Picture Books

Find links for these books on the Florida & Keys Resource Page.

• Marjory Saves the Everglades
  • An excellent picture book about how Marjory Stoneman Douglas helped turn part of the Everglades into a National Park to protect the plants and animals.
• Manatee Winter
  • A gentle intro to conservation featuring one of Florida’s most beloved animals.
• Good Night, Florida Keys
  • A sweet geography-based bedtime book.

Chapter Books & Middle Grade

Find links for these books on the Florida & Keys Resource Page.

• Sharks Incorporated (4 book series)
  • Join three kids as they help Doc Ford (from Randy Wayne White's adult series) protect animals! Luke recently relocated to Sanibel Island from the Midwest, while sisters Maribel and Sabina arrived from Cuba only recently. Join them in the first book as they try to save sharks from poachers!
  • Recommended Readers:
    • ages 8 to 12 or
    • grades 3rd through 7th
• Turtle in Paradise
  • Set in Key West, this story is light, funny, and full of Keys charm.
  • Recommended Readers:
    • ages 9 to 11 or
    • grades 3rd through 7th
• Junonia
  • A slower, thoughtful read set on Sanibel Island.
  • Recommended Readers:
    • ages 8 to 11 or
    • grades 3rd through 7th
• The Sea Turtle Scientist
  • Nonfiction STEM that connects perfectly with Florida wildlife centers.
  • Recommended Readers:
    • ages 10 to 12 or
    • grades 5th through 7th
• The Boy and the Dolphin
  • A short, beautiful story that always sparks boat-kid conversations.
  • Recommended Readers:
    • ages 12 to 18

Activity Ideas: Sea Turtle Sketch + Visit a Rescue Center

If you’re anywhere near Marathon or Juno Beach, you can visit a turtle hospital.

Have kids sketch their favorite turtle and make up a short story about its “Loop Journey.”

Movie Tie-Ins:

Find links for these movies on the Florida & Keys Resource Page.

• Finding Nemo (reef science!) - Rated G

• The Rescuers Down Under (animal rescue, fun adventure) - Rated G

This post is a free preview from the Loop Families Book Club Membership.

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December Read-Aloud: "Hoot"

All December book links for Amazon are on our public December Books Page. Amazon doesn’t allow affiliate links behind paywalls, so this page stays open. Everything below is for members only.

December on the Loop always feels like slipping into warm water... literally and figuratively. After weeks of chilly mornings and long ICW travel days, the palm trees suddenly appear, the water shifts to turquoise, and everything starts to feel a little more playful again. So for our December family read-aloud, we’re leaning into a fun, quirky Florida adventure.

This month’s family read-aloud pick is “Hoot” by Carl Hiaasen... It's funny, fast-paced, and perfect for a cockpit read when you’re tucked into a marina or swinging on the hook somewhere near the Keys. If your child would like to read this book on their own, it's great for ages 9 to 12!

The story follows a kid named Roy who discovers a mystery involving burrowing owls on a construction site. It’s filled with Florida wildlife, humor that hits for kids and parents, and themes of courage and doing the right thing. Best of all, it feels like the kind of mischief kids on boats actually get swept up in: exploring new places, noticing little things adults miss, and caring about the creatures they meet along the way.

I've found that Teacher Created Resources can be really helpful with curriculum and teaching ideas. You can find lesson plans for this book for more great ideas!

👉 Find this book, related curriculum, and other books based in Florida on our resource page!

Why This Book Works for Cruising Kids

• It’s light and adventurous, not scary.

• Kids recognize the landscapes: scrub brush, palmetto, sandy lots, oddball animals.

• It opens the door to gentle, fun conversations about wildlife stewardship.

• It’s short enough to comfortably finish in a week or two, even on travel days.

Optional Activities On Board

• Wildlife Watchlist
  • Have your kids sketch or tally manatees, pelicans, iguanas, dolphins, and ospreys.
• Eco Detective Mission
  • Choose a small area near your marina or anchorage and look for signs of wildlife.
• Create a “Family Wildlife Code”
  • Your own rules for interacting respectfully with marine animals.

Movie of the Week

Pair it with “Dolphin Tale” (rated PG).

Set in Clearwater, sweet and uplifting. Perfect after a long boating day.

👉 Find it here.

If you read through "Hoot," you may also enjoy the movie based on the book! 

Discussion Starters:

• What animals have you seen on the Loop this week?

• If something threatened those animals, what would you do?

• How does Roy show courage in small, everyday ways?