So You Want To Be A Deep Sea Diver (So You Want To Be A...)
About
WINNER of the Literary Titan Gold Book Award
The surface closes above you. The light changes — from bright to blue to a darkness that has nothing to do with night. Down here, pressure is not a metaphor. It is a physical force that increases with every meter of descent, reshaping what your body can do, what your equipment can withstand, and how long you have before the ocean’s terms become non-negotiable. You are not visiting this world. You are a guest in it. And you have learned, precisely and completely, how to behave like one.
So You Want To Be A Deep Sea Diver takes young readers ages 10–14 inside one of the most technically demanding and most awe-inspiring professions on earth — not the adventure-film version, but the real one. The years of training and certification that happen before a professional diver ever descends to working depth. The specific discipline of operating in an environment where a single equipment failure, a single miscalculation, a single moment of panic has consequences that the surface world cannot reach in time. The team of dive supervisors, saturation technicians, surface support crews, and decompression specialists working in careful coordination so that the person going down comes back up — safely, completely, and ready to go again. The dive that goes exactly to plan — and the one that calls on everything the diver has ever learned and then asks for more.
This is a book about what deep sea divers actually do: the physics of pressure and gas narcosis they master to keep their minds clear at depths where the wrong breath mixture can be fatal, the saturation diving techniques they train for to live and work at extreme depth for weeks at a time, the underwater welding, construction, and salvage operations they execute with precision in conditions of near-zero visibility and crushing cold, and the absolute calm they bring to emergencies that must be resolved in slow motion because panic at depth costs lives. It’s also a book about what the work costs, what it reveals, and why the people who do it say that the silence of the deep ocean — that particular, total silence that exists nowhere else on earth — never stops being one of the most profound things a human being can experience.
Inside, young readers will discover:
- What a real deep sea diver’s training and working life actually looks like — from open water certification to saturation diving to the most demanding underwater operations on earth
- The physics and physiology of deep diving — pressure, decompression, gas mixtures, and what the human body can and cannot do beneath the surface
- The technical demands and mental discipline the profession requires — and how divers train to stay calm and effective in conditions that would overwhelm most people
- The range of deep sea diving work — from underwater construction and pipeline inspection to scientific research and shipwreck salvage — and what each demands
- What young people can do right now to discover if this might be their calling
Honest, specific, and genuinely illuminating, So You Want To Be A Deep Sea Diver doesn’t talk down to young readers — it brings them all the way in. Because the child who wants to know what this work is really like deserves a real answer.
For readers who feel the pull toward something that exists at the absolute edge of where human beings can go. For the kid who looks at the ocean and doesn’t just wonder what lives there; they wonder what it would feel like to go all the way down.
Most of the ocean has never been seen by human eyes. The divers who go deepest are not just doing a job. They are going somewhere almost no one has ever been. Maybe one day that diver will be you.
Ages 10–14 · Nonfiction · Careers & Professions · Illustrated
Praise for this book
"So You Want To Be A Deep Sea Diver is the kind of children's book that makes you realize there is so much more to a job than what you see on the surface. Written for young readers around ages 9-14, this illustrated guide takes kids deep into the world of professional diving, from the first spark of ocean curiosity to the intense training, science, teamwork, and bravery needed to work far below the waves. I think it does a great job showing that deep-sea diving is an adventure and a serious career that takes discipline, focus, and a lot of knowledge.
I loved how much real information it includes without making the topic feel overwhelming. Readers learn about pressure, decompression, gas mixtures, saturation diving, underwater welding, shipwreck archaeology, cave exploration, and even what happens to the human body underwater. It explains complex ideas in a way that feels clear and exciting, while still respecting how dangerous and demanding this job can be. The glossary, career details, and real-world examples make it useful for reports, career day, or any child who is curious about ocean work.
The illustrations are another big highlight. They bring the deep ocean, the gear, and the divers' work to life, especially for kids who are visual learners. The book also covers the people behind every dive, like supervisors, standby divers, medical technicians, deck crews, and scientists waiting topside. That teamwork element makes the profession feel even more real. I even learned something as an adult. I didn't know that being in the deep sea 'actually changes how your brain works, in ways scientists are still studying.'
This is an engaging, detailed, and surprisingly fun read, even for adults. You don't have to want to become a deep-sea diver to enjoy it, because there is so much to learn about the ocean, science, history, and the hidden jobs that keep parts of the modern world running. This would be a great gift for a sea-loving kid, a useful classroom book, or a strong addition to a career exploration series. Linda Soules makes deep-sea diving feel mysterious, challenging, and possible, and that is exactly what makes the book so appealing."
"Linda Soules’s So You Want To Be A Deep Sea Diver introduces young readers to the demanding and fascinating world beneath the ocean’s surface. The book explains what it means to work in deep water, where every movement depends on training, patience, and specialized equipment. Soules focuses on the responsibilities of professional divers, including underwater welding, scientific exploration, pipeline inspection, cave diving, archaeology, and marine research. Readers are guided through the science behind diving, learning about decompression, nitrogen narcosis, dive computers, regulators, and buoyancy control, while also gaining an understanding of the physical and mental discipline required to work safely underwater. The book explores both the beauty and danger of the ocean, describing glowing sea creatures, hidden caves, and underwater structures. Historical figures such as Jacques Cousteau, Sylvia Earle, William Beebe, and Dawn Wright are introduced as pioneers who expanded humanity’s understanding of the oceans.
So You Want To Be A Deep Sea Diver is written in a highly descriptive style that captures both the wonder and seriousness of working underwater. The pacing moves smoothly between scientific explanations, real-world examples, and sensory descriptions of the ocean environment, helping younger readers absorb technical information without becoming overwhelmed. Linda Soules uses vivid imagery throughout the book, especially when describing bioluminescent creatures, dark underwater landscapes, and the sensation of descending deeper into the ocean with only artificial light for visibility. Readers interested in marine biology, exploration, engineering, science, or adventure-based nonfiction will enjoy the blend of education and storytelling. Parents and caregivers will appreciate Linda Soules’s ability to explain complex scientific ideas in an engaging way that young audiences can understand."
"If you have a ten- to twelve-year-old who has stared into blue water and wondered what lives below, Linda Soules's So You Want To Be A Deep Sea Diver belongs on your shelf. It turns curiosity into conversation, not a lecture, and it earns that trust on page one.
I read this the way you might share a travel story at dinner. Soules starts where kids actually are: holding their breath in a shallow lake, not wanting to surface. From there she walks readers through first descents, glowing creatures in the aphotic zone, commercial work on cables and reefs, and the slow discipline of decompression stops. She names the dangers honestly, the bends, narcosis, cold hours in a drysuit, but balances them with wonder: bioluminescence, Sylvia Earle, Dawn Wright at Challenger Deep. My child laughed at divers offering regulators to fish. I appreciated the safety rules framed as letters from divers who came home.
Soules writes in a direct, you-are-there voice that suits independent readers and read-aloud nights alike. Sentences are clear, vivid, and respectful of a young reader's intelligence. The illustrations match that energy, from glowing deep-sea life to gear close-ups, giving them something to linger over between chapters. The glossary and closing reflection questions help parents extend the talk. The rhythm stays warm and steady throughout, more mentor than textbook, and the pacing keeps curious kids turning pages.
This is a guide book that respects both the job and the child dreaming about it. Hand it to a curious reader, or read it together before swim lessons. Either way, it opens a door worth walking through."
"Incredible book! I really enjoyed it, and I am an adult. It is so informative and the artwork is great! There is more information included than I expected there to be. Mentions the gear, people you work with, different jobs, what happens to your body from the pressure, it even talks of divers from history. Really enjoyed this book!"
"Absolutely worth the buy, especially if your child is very interested in the sea. I would also use this book for career day...I love how in depth it is about what a deep sea diver is. It tells you about what the actually do, what tools they need, how long they stay down there, what the job entails, how the divers deal with the pressure. If that doesn’t sell it, then the pictures definitely will."
"This is the second children's book that I have read by this author. I honestly want to read them all! They are so well written and the illustrations are amazing. Her details about the career really encompass what it means to be a deep sea diver. These are so fun to read and I have enjoyed them just as much as my kids. I would recommend them to anyone, even if you do not necessarily want to be a deep sea diver because I have even learned so much about what they do and what this job entails. My favorite parts are the fun facts and what you can do now to prepare for a job like this. Engaging children early to help them discover what they love to do and learn about is so important and Linda Soules does this very well!"
"I really enjoyed this book. As a diver, I stick to just checking out the fish, but this book helped me to realize there is so much more opportunity in deep sea diving than we realize."
"This book was a good outline of deep sea diving. I am a scuba diver, and this covered some basic knowledge, as well as some more advanced topics. It gave information on careers that could be done underwater. The book also had some safety guidelines that are important for a successful dive."
"This book is great for a child wanting to be a deep sea diver. It breaks down every aspect and shows the details that are often overlooked but very important. I like how it mentioned that the important rules are there from someone that actually experienced it before. I love the day to day life examples of a diver as well as the famous people and glossary that it includes. This is a great book to help you have fun while also learning."
"So clever, right down to know your gear by touch. I love this series and want the full library to keep for all my babysitting. I wish I had this as a kid but we have them now."
"One of a series of books designed to help kids 10-14 years old consider different career options. This book was beautifully written, every word designed to convey critical information about the life of a deep sea diver. The artwork was exquisite, and will appeal younger children as well. The advice is seasoned and practical. This book was a joy to read."
"Very informational. The pictures are very good. They explain things very well. I love these books. I'd like to have the whole collection for my kids."
"Whether you’re a librarian for a school or the public this is a must have. Just like the rest of the 'So You Want to Be A…' books, it is well written and gives you a day in the life of deep sea diver...Soules brings you into the realm of possibility of a career in the field. Whether it’s for adolescent’s curiosity or someone seriously thinking about a future in deep sea diving this book gives you a good amount of insight into what you might be doing."
"One of the things that I love about this book is how it blends scientific explanations with real-world anecdotes. For example, when describing the physics of water pressure, it doesn’t just present numbers — it compares the sensation to “having an elephant gently sitting on your shoulders,” a vivid image that makes the concept instantly relatable. Similarly, a section on underwater welding doesn’t just list tools; it walks the reader through the process of repairing a ship’s hull in near-darkness, with only the glow of the welding arc illuminating the water. Importantly, the book doesn’t romanticize the profession. It addresses the risks and discipline required, from the dangers of nitrogen narcosis to the mental resilience needed for long, isolated dives. Yet it balances this with the thrill of discovery — like encountering bioluminescent creatures or exploring underwater caves few humans have ever seen. In short, So You Want To Be a Deep Sea Diver succeeds because it educates without lecturing and inspires without sugarcoating. It’s a perfect pick for young ocean enthusiasts, STEM classrooms, or anyone who’s ever wondered what it’s like to work in one of the most extreme environments on Earth."
"While this book is meant as information for kids regarding a career choice, it is interesting reading for people of any age as it contains little known facts. Did you know that our ability to see color changes as we descend the ocean depths? Deep sea divers use special lights so they can see things in actual color rather than just shades of blue.
In addition to unusual facts, the book is great for helping teens see a career from a realistic point of view with all the pros and cons. Although this is the point of the book, the images, short sections, and basic content will be enjoyable when read by older elementary school children as well.
This is an excellent series for all ages and would make a great addition to a classroom library for middle schoolers or older elementary students."
"As a retired teacher and certified scuba diver, I found this book to be teeming with information and beautiful illustrations.
The information was thorough and informative for both children and adults who are just beginning to think about possibly trying scuba diving. Although this book is written for children, the information is so detailed that I could see this book being used for adults starting a scuba instructional class just as an introductory text.
When you realize how much of our daily lives depend on what a deep sea diver does, it because apparent how important this field is when thinking about a future job. It is not just looking at the pretty fish and coral reefs.
We are, and should be, lifelong learners. As the book states, we have explored more of the moon’s surface than the ocean depths."
"Another great book from this series to add to my classroom library. The illustrations are beautiful and captivating. I love the diversity of the pictures showing groups that are less represented and females. The extra scientific facts about the ocean and diving is extremely interesting and applicable for kids interested in deep sea diving."
"In SO YOU WANT TO BE A DEEP SEA DIVER: A KIDS' GUIDE TO DEEP SEA DIVING, UNDERWATER EXPLORATION, OCEAN MYSTERIES, AND THE DARING DIVERS WHO DISCOVER WHAT LIES BENEATH THE WAVES, Soules' vivid illustrations beautifully accompany her meticulous job descriptions. This is a particularly great title in the series to read with and to children as a book at bedtime due to the mysterious colors and depths that the sea descriptions and images provide. Again Soules teaches the adult as well as the child with her succinct writing, bringing to light the realities of this career path and the many variations possible within it. For the parent, carer and educator, there may be no better career-choosing support series than Soules’."
"I absolutely love these books! The illustrations are phenomenal, and this one was was full of interesting facts I didn’t know about deep sea diving. I didn’t realize divers basically live underwater when out on a dive. I also didn’t know about them working in complete darkness by touch alone many times. There were tons more fun facts as well as describing the tools of the trade and best and worst parts of the job. Any child would find this book interesting and engaging!"
"This has a very sensory opening. I could feel water closing over me. I also didnt realize there were so many subspecialties involved in diving. Construction, science, and a lot of directing and supporting careers. I like that the author included support positions because if a kid thought deep sea diving was too scary after reading the book there are some backups in easy reach. Reading about how long ago deep sea exploration started was also a little crazy. The confidence to tether yourself that far underwater before we had modern tech is unimaginable to me. The language seems suitable for kids as young as 7 in my opinion. Very informative while keeping language absorbable."
"Each one of this series I read is more impressive than the last. I learned so much about diving! And the characteristics of a good diver, while they seem like common sense, are truly unique and need to be considered by anyone thinking of diving as a career. I also love the diverse representation in the artwork. Brava Ms Soules! Another hit!"