DUGAN

Book cover titled "Dugan's daring deep dive down into the dazzling dark sea" by John Cayden, featuring an illustration of a small animal resembling a squid swimming in dark ocean waters with a faint fish in the background.

DUGAN’S DARING DEEP DIVE DOWN INTO THE DAZZLING DARK SEA

In the mysterious deep ocean, where sunlight’s warmth becomes cold and dark like the midnight sky, there’s a world bursting with fascinating creatures big and small! Imagine glowing jellyfish dancing like stars in the extreme pressure of the dark, giant squids with long, waving tentacles that can wrestle whales, or colorful fish that light up like tiny lanterns on parade.

These deep-sea survivors have superpowers with super teeth—some can change colors to hide, while others can make their own lights to entice, trick and twinkle in the deep blue! Join us on an underwater exploration to meet these incredible animals and discover the secrets of the ocean’s deep and hidden wonders!

Now with coloring pages!

  • Angler Fish | Lophius piscatorius

  • Baird’s Beaked Whale | Berardius bairdii

  • Barbelled Dragonfish | Stomias boa

  • Basket Star | Astrospartus mediterraneus

  • Black-Bellied Rosefish | Helicolenus dactylopterus

  • Blobfish | Psychrolutes marcidus

  • Crocodile Icefish | Chionodraco hamatus

  • Colossal Squid | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni

  • Cookie Cutter Shark | Isistius brasiliensis

  • Sea Cucumber | Holothuroidea sp.

  • Cusk Eel | Brotula barbata

  • Deep Jellyfish | Atolla wyvillei

Animals Featured in Dugan’s Deep Dive

  • Fangtoothed Fish | Anoplogaster cornuta

  • Ghost Shark | Hydrolagus colliei

  • Goblin Shark | Mitsukurina owstoni

  • Gulper Eel | Eurypharynx pelecanoides

  • Hagfish | Myxine glutinosa

  • Lanternfish | Lampanyctus croceus

  • Oarfish | Regalecus glesne

  • Sea Spider | Pycnogonida sp.

  • Tube Worms | Riftia pachyptila

  • Vampire Squid | Vampyroteuthis infernalis

  • Viperfish | Chauliodus sloani

Hardback Available Here
Paperback Available Here
Underwater scene with coral reefs, sea anemones, and a flying octopus, accompanied by a poem about the octopus.

SAMPLE GRAPHIC SPREADS FROM DUGAN

An undersea scene showing a giant white octopus amid a school of small fish. The background is dark blue, and the fish are swimming around the octopus, which is partly visible. There is a quote on the left side that reads, 'Everything dines on them, Because they are so very small. They sadly eat up tiny plastic bits, floating around them all. When their masses poop, it can look almost like snow. Falling in the dark water, to the bottom it will go.' The top right corner indicates the depth as '1000 Meters - 3280 feet deep.'
An underwater scene with numerous glowing jellyfish floating in the dark ocean. The jellyfish are translucent with long, flowing tentacles. There is a small, cartoon-like animal with large ears near the bottom right. Text describes jellyfish characteristics and behavior, mentioning their harmless nature, their movements with tentacles, and population blooms during summer due to increased water temperatures.
A deep-sea scene with a squid and a fish, surrounded by dark water and bubbles, with text describing their adaptations for darkness and their behaviors.
An underwater scene with a fish and a curious octopus. The fish has a white body with dark markings, large eyes, and is swimming among bubbles and particles in dark water. The octopus is small, pale, and near the top, amid the dark, deep sea environment. There is a text on the right side describing the fish named Melanie and discussing ocean conditions.
An underwater scene featuring a large, glowing, serpent-like dragonfish with sharp teeth and a bioluminescent blue-green glow. A small, transparent fish swims nearby in dark, speckled water.
Image of Telescope Fish

Telescope Fish - so handsome!

Deep in the ocean lives a very curious creature called the telescope fish. Its most magical feature is its big, tube-like eyes that stick out like little periscopes — perfect for spotting food in the dark waters far below. Even though it’s small (only about 15–20 inches long), it has a stretchy mouth and a stretchy stomach, so it can swallow meals as big as itself! These fish live far down, where sunlight is scarce, and they float quietly, using their special eyes to hunt tiny sea creatures. Whenever they eat, their tummy glows—but it’s very dark inside, so no light escapes. Isn’t that amazing?

Telescope fish (genus Gigantura) are deep-sea dwellers. Adult telescope fish, like Gigantura indica, are usually found between about 500 and 2,100 meters down. That means they live in the mesopelagic zone (sometimes called the “twilight zone,” ~200–1,000 m) down into the upper bathypelagic zone (1,000+ m), where sunlight is extremely faint or gone and the water is very dark.

I forgot this fish in the book - LOL! So here he is…..

EXPLORE THE DEEP!

MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU ON THE DEEP DEEP INKY BLACK SEA OF MYSTERY!

This is the U.S. federal program focused on exploring the unknown ocean for scientific discovery. It provides data, articles, expedition logs, images and videos of deep‑sea research. 

NOAA Ocean Exploration+2beams.charleston.edu+2

NOAA Ocean Exploration

A collaboration between NOAA, the Ocean Exploration Trust and the Schmidt Ocean Institute, this site is explicitly built for educators and students. It offers standards‑aligned activities, high‑resolution imagery/videos, and helps follow ongoing deep‑sea expeditions. 

NOAA Ocean Exploration+2Deep Ocean Education Project+2

Deep Ocean Education Project

WHOI is a leading oceanographic research institution and their deep‑sea section web page provides descriptions of seafloor features, hydrothermal vents, twilight zone ecosystems, and how life thrives under extreme conditions. 

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (“WHOI”) Deep Sea page
Book cover titled "Dugan's daring deep dive down into the dazzling dark sea" by John Cayden, featuring a cartoon squid and a blurred background of sea creatures.

Wish I was a Kid!

Collection of soft plush toys resembling various deep sea creatures, including an octopus, nautilus shell, anglerfish, sea lamprey, blobfish, goblin shark, oarfish, Japanese spiny lobster, flounder, pufferfish, frilled shark, and giant squid.

I think these might be the best plush toys I have ever seen in my life!!!

I wish I was little again and could have them all!

And NO, I don't a commission from them - I just think they are way cool!

CHECK THEM OUT!