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Dogfish Saves the Ocean

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Dogfish is enjoying a beautiful day in the ocean when suddenly he sees his friend Turtle with a straw stuck in his snout! After he calls his friends to help, they all discover that ocean pollution is a BIG problem!

Join Dogfish and his friends as they learn more about pollution and what they can do to help. Dogfish Saves the Ocean is a fun, colorful book that teaches children about pollution, and taking care of our oceans. We can ALL make a difference!

50 pages, Paperback

Published September 28, 2020

2 people are currently reading
10 people want to read

About the author

Rita Reed

3 books28 followers
Rita Reed is the Amazon Bestseller and award-winning author of DOGFISH Saves the Ocean, DOGFISH Stands Up to Bullying, and DOGFISH, Just be YOU!. Through her colorful and engaging children’s picture book series, Dogfish Tales, she spreads positivity, inclusiveness, love, and acceptance of all.

Growing up, Rita had a love for the ocean and the natural world. She would never miss an episode of The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, a series about marine exploration and conservation. But her real inspiration was her father, who was an avid scuba diver and would tell magnificent stories of his deep-sea adventures. Tales of his encounters with eels, giant octopus, whales, sharks, and many other sea creatures would captivate her, inspiring a connection to the ocean that would never fade.

Rita is passionate about children’s picture books. As a parent she cherished time spent reading to her own children, connecting with them through the magic of books. She discovered that reading together could start conversations about important issues. Years later, she dreamt of her character Dogfish, and was inspired to write meaningful and empowering stories for children.

With a strong heart for philanthropy, Rita believes in access to books for everyone. She partners with the non-profit organization, Imagination Storybooks, where Dogfish Tales will be available in video and audiobooks for blind, deaf and neurodiverse children.

Rita is a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), CIPA (Colorado Independent Publishers Association), ALLI (The Alliance of Independent Authors), and Goodreads. Rita resides in Southern California, where she studied art, architecture, and interior design. She enjoys spending time with her family and two silly, spoiled cats.

“I feel Dogfish in my heart. He’s the vulnerable, innocent child in all of us.”

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Lindsey Larsen.
Author 3 books21 followers
April 21, 2023
Lovable Characters!
The illustrations in this book are beautiful and captivating!! Any child would fall in love and want to read this book over and over. As with the other books in the Dogfish Tales Series, this book also provides an important message about keeping our oceans clean, and how items humans use can end up polluting the ocean. It’s an impactful message for children and adults!
155 reviews15 followers
November 20, 2020
I always love to tell stories to kids that gives a valuable lesson. Dogfish Saves The Ocean is one such story. Main character of the story is a dogfish who has many friends in the ocean. One beautiful day, dogfish was diving in the ocean when he heard his friend's shout. A turtle was in trouble because the ocean has been polluted by humans.

This book is an eye opener for adults and shares wonderful lesson with kids. They will learn about the 4R's that can help in saving the environment. We should keep our oceans clean so we can protect the animals that lives in the ocean.

Rita has amazing storytelling skills and I loved every page of this book. Craig's beautiful illustrations will make anyone to fall in love with this book. I strongly recommend this book for kids. They should add this one to their bookshelf.
Profile Image for Monika.
Author 22 books22 followers
October 7, 2025
A Tale of Courage, Kindness, and Clean Seas

Dogfish Saves the Ocean by Rita Reed, illustrated by Craig Cartwright, is a joyful, inspiring picture book that brings ocean conservation to life through an adorable undersea hero. Dogfish, a lovable pup-fish hybrid with a big heart and even bigger determination, notices the ocean isn’t as blue and beautiful as it used to be. When he discovers the sea creatures struggling because of pollution, he decides it’s time to take action—and his bravery ripples far beyond the waves.

Reed’s storytelling is simple yet powerful, introducing children to important environmental themes in a way that feels empowering rather than alarming. The story celebrates teamwork and personal responsibility, showing that even small creatures can make a big difference. There’s a hopeful rhythm to the text that encourages young readers to join Dogfish in protecting the world they love.

Craig Cartwright’s illustrations burst with color and motion. His expressive characters and lush underwater scenes make every page shimmer. From playful dolphins to grumpy crabs, each creature feels alive and part of Dogfish’s vibrant ocean community. The art perfectly complements the story’s message: that our oceans are worth saving—and full of life worth protecting.

This book is a wonderful conversation starter for classrooms and families alike. Dogfish Saves the Ocean reminds readers that caring for our planet starts with simple acts of kindness and awareness. It’s a heartwarming adventure that leaves kids eager to learn more about the sea and inspired to make waves of change.
Profile Image for Tony Parsons.
4,156 reviews105 followers
March 22, 2021
1-day Dogfish was swimming through the ocean when & sees his friend Turtle who had a straw stuck in his snout.
Dogfish hollered at his friends to come help Turtle.
They all finally got the straw out.
Dogfish’ friends discovered that ocean was becoming a bigger problem because of pollution.
The minnow sisters replied when it rains trash flows from the city gutters to the bay.

What solution did Dogfish, Turtle, Angelfish, Shark, Manta Ray, Lobster, & Seahorse come up with to solve the problem?

I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.

An awesome book cover, great hand-drawn colored pictures, charming illustrations & proper font & writing style. A very professionally written children’s (preschool/elementary, MS age) rhyming storybook. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters, settings, etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great children’s ecological movie, an animated cartoon, educational presentation (ecology, pollution), or better yet a mini-TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author(s); Fine Eye Media; Freebooksy; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Profile Image for Mika UltraModernBM.
39 reviews1 follower
May 24, 2024
With his fluffy ears, big bright eyes, delightful smile, and cheerful heart, Dogfish is always ready for a fun-filled underwater adventure with his friends. One day, while enjoying a swim, he hears his buddy Turtle in distress with a straw stuck in his snout. All of their aquatic friends come together to help pull the straw out, but they soon realize that the problem is much bigger than they thought. There’s garbage everywhere. It turns out that humans are throwing their trash down gutters and drains, polluting the ocean. Upon witnessing the devastation, all aquatic creatures immediately emerged to clean up their beloved waters. The spirit of teamwork and camaraderie shines through as they all work together towards a common goal: a clean and healthy ocean for everyone to enjoy!

Teaching children about environmental care early on is of utmost importance, and it’s something that we should all strive to do. Luckily, we have an incredible resource in the form of Rita Reeds’ book Dogfish Saves the Ocean, which can help us inspire young minds to become passionate about caring for our planet. The book features a loveable character named Dogfish. Through colorful illustrations by Craig Cartwright and Reed’s outstanding story rhymes, children learn the importance of not littering, recycling, and keeping our oceans clean. The book also includes a catchy song by Reeds that reinforces the message of environmental care.
Profile Image for Deborah Fontaine.
622 reviews44 followers
April 3, 2025
♻️“Much can be done, if All of us Help Out!”♻️ My grandson and I share a strong admiration for the Dogfish series! "Dogfish, Saves the Ocean!" written by Rita Reed and illustrated by Craig Cartwright is an enchanting rhyming tale that delivers a significant message, motivating young readers to develop a passion for protecting our oceans and the Earth. This book serves as an excellent tool for teaching children an essential lesson about being environmentally aware.

The narrative showcases an adorable character named Dogfish alongside his cheerful companions, who remain optimistic even in the face of challenges. The illustrations are delightful, showcasing a variety of marine life and emphasizing their unique traits while fostering environmental consciousness. The bright colors truly pop! As the story unfolds, it promotes a love for our planet, empathy for one another, and the idea that everyone can contribute to positive change through collaboration. Each installment in this series offers something truly special.
Profile Image for Monika Singla.
374 reviews24 followers
November 20, 2020
🔷 BOOK: Dogfish Saves The Ocean
🔷 AUTHOR: Rita Reed

Review:
Recently I read a cute Children's Book by the author Rita Reed. Story highlights a dogfish who was enjoying a beautiful day. When he went deep into the ocean, he found a turtle who was in need of help. Due to ocean pollution, a straw got stuck in the turtle's snout.

Review:
1) Cover page of the book is lovely.
2) Title of the book is apt and according to the storyline.
3) Narration is smooth and storytelling skills of author are amazing.
4) Colorful pages of the book will catch kid's attention right away.
5) This book gives an important lesson to save the ocean and to save the environment.

Fantastic book for kids!

Rating: 5/5
195 reviews14 followers
November 21, 2020
BOOK REVIEW: Dogfish Saves The Ocean

I love reading Children's Book. Recently I picked this book "Dogfish Saves The Ocean". Hero of this story is a dogfish who loves to dive in the ocean. As he was leaping and diving, he heard a shout from his friend turtle. A straw was stuck in his snout. Dogfish and his friends noticed that there is trash everywhere in the ocean. Find out yourself what Dogfish gonna do.
Cover photo of the book is beautiful showing a dogfish saving the planet and giving an important message to recycle.
Title of this book couldn't have been better than this.
Reading this book will be learning with fun experience for kids. Parents should gift this book to their little kiddos to tell them the importance of keeping our environment and oceans clean.

Rating 5/5
Profile Image for _sassy_39.
2,650 reviews165 followers
November 23, 2020
Dogfish Saves The Ocean is a Children's Book written by Rita Reed and illustrated by Craig Cartwright. This is a wonderful Children's book that tells the kids to keep the oceans clean. It is the story of a dogfish who is enjoying a beautiful day. As he was diving in the ocean, he heard a call for help from the turtle who had a straw stuck in his snout. Will dogfish be able to save his friend? Grab a copy of this book and read the story yourself to know what will happen next.

Illustrations are pretty and story is written very well. Language of the book is easy so kids can understand it easily. This colorful picture book will not fail to impress kids. The beautiful lesson given by this book is very important and kids should learn that lesson. Great work by Rita in this picture book.
Profile Image for Shain Stodt.
Author 5 books
June 7, 2024
Dogfish Helps Children Learn That They Can Make A Difference


It’s easy for children to feel powerless about the mess adults have made of the world, recklessly polluting our beautiful Earth. This bright, lively book of Dogfish and his fellow sea creatures teaches children that they can make a real difference individually and together. Dogfish saves the ocean empowers them to understand that every bit they contribute to improving the world makes an impact, and they are far from powerless when they work with others toward a goal.
The whole feel of this lovely book is upbeat and optimistic, with a nourishing message that will last in children’s hearts. I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Zowie Norris.
743 reviews38 followers
May 16, 2023
Environmentally Fun!

I was excited to read my second book of the beautiful, bright and cheerful ‘Dogfish’ adventures - this time taking place under the sea.
Rita Reed has cleverly captured the current sea pollution issues and the impact it is having on the rest of the creatures in this beautiful book. After a close call involving a plastic straw, Dogfish and pals decide to take action and clean up!
Fun, relevant and perfect for discussion around the important themes. Another fantastic book, recommended for all parents and teachers too.
Profile Image for Angela Lambkin.
2,354 reviews27 followers
April 15, 2022
Dogfish and his pals makes Giant Difference for all.

I thought this ebook was not only written well but gorgeously illustrated.
I would recommend this book for new, beginning readers. With both sentences I've wrote these caused me to feel it needed to be chalked down to a five star review rating. Beautiful work Rita.
Profile Image for Lucie Daze.
Author 2 books2 followers
April 23, 2023
Such a cute book! The illustrations are colorful and fun, and I love how the story inspires children to take concrete actions to protect this beautiful planet. It empowers kids by showing them that if we work together, we can make a difference.

I look forward to sharing this book with little ones.
Profile Image for Ricardo Medina.
Author 14 books143 followers
January 5, 2024
I have borrowed this book thanks to my Kindle Unlimited subscription and read it on the Kindle app on my tablet.

Beautifully illustrated book with a great message. The author teaches kids with a lovely story that we must keep the sea clean with the four R's: recycle, reuse, reduce, and reinvent. A perfect book to read with kids aged 2 to 6.
Profile Image for Kim Wilch.
Author 6 books80 followers
June 2, 2024
Dogfish is minding his own business when he finds his friend Turtle with a straw stuck in his snout. Oh no, not a poor little turtle! The friends learn about pollution and what they can do to help. I’m a firm believer we need to teach our kids young to make a difference for the future of our earth. As a sea turtle hospital volunteer, I definitely recommend this book.
40 reviews3 followers
October 19, 2024
Dogfish Saves the Ocean is a wonderful book that encourages a love for our planet Earth, teamwork, and compassion for one another. The vibrant and playful illustrations bring this beautiful story to life.
Join Dogfish and his charming ensemble and help save the ocean.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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