The port of Long Beach this week debuted Soleil the Sea Lion Explores the Green Port, a children’s book, penned by Art Marroquin, the port’s media relations manager, with illustrations from San Jose-based Michelle Dinh.

Coinciding with Read Across America Week, the book was launched during an assembly held at Birney Elementary School in Long Beach, where every student received a copy.

The story follows Soleil, a curious sea lion who loves the harbour but longs for more ocean friends. As the port strengthens its commitment to cleaner air, cleaner water and habitat restoration, the harbour begins to thrive with the arrival of new marine life. Through Soleil, young readers discover the power of environmental stewardship and the joy of making new friends.

“The port of Long Beach has shared its story of environmental progress for more than 20 years, but there wasn’t anything readily available for children to learn about the port’s commitment to clean air, clean water and habitat restoration,” Marroquin told Splash.

The author said that everyone loves sea lions, so he decided to write the story as seen through the eyes of Soleil as she seeks other sea creature friends with some help from the humans at the port.

At the moment, distribution of the book is limited to port events and elementary school libraries in the Long Beach Unified School District. Additional opportunities for obtaining copies will be announced soon.

Over the years, Splash has covered many shipping-related children’s books, including Casey the Container, penned by American Kristina Bowden, who was also inspired by Long Beach. The Little Bulker by Katerina Perganti Shaw was published in 2022, chronicling the construction of the Athena in Japan, while the Swedish Club and Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS) produced Our Family and the Sea a couple of years ago to explain why parents working at sea spend so much time away from home. Back in 2021, Splash also covered the launch of Wakashio, a children’s book focusing on one of shipping’s most high-profile recent shipping disasters, penned by Anita Bacha.