Exclusive First Look: Dive into IDW’s ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: The Art of an Undersea World’

“I don’t need it. I don’t need it. I DEFINITELY don’t need it … I NEED IT!”

Attention, Bikini Bottom! You need to know that IDW has opened pre-orders for SpongeBob SquarePants: The Art of an Undersea World — a delightful art book tribute to the iconic animated sea life created by Stephen Hillenburg, available February 17, 2026. To celebrate the announcement, Animation Magazine is presenting our readers with a special sneak peek between the covers, which you’ll find in this post!

Pre-orders are open now, click here to go jellyfishing for your copy.

A deep dive into all things SpongeBob, including the art behind the hit television shows and films, preproduction sketches, cast and creator interviews, and more, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Art of an Undersea World features 350+ pages of artwork from creators from both series and film projects. Researched and written by long-time animation industry author Tracey Miller-Zarneke (whose art books cover Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs films, the Kung Fu Panda franchise, plus the centenary edition of The Disney Book and more), this is the definitive art collection celebrating over 25 years of SpongeBob SquarePants!

As SpongeBob once said, “You never really know the true value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.”

Take a page-by-page stroll (or swim) through Bikini Bottom and celebrate all your favorite characters in this collectible art book that showcases art from the original TV series, its spinoffs and every movie, accompanied by insights from everyone who ever worked on this beloved franchise. Sure to be a treasured collectible for any fan, the full-color hardcover features pieces from all the television shows — SpongeBob SquarePants, The Patrick Star Show, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years — and films — The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Sponge Out of Water, Sponge on the Run, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, Plankton: The Movie and the upcoming December release Search for SquarePants.

“As both an artist and someone lucky enough to help steward the iconic world of SpongeBob, this book is more than a collection of images. It’s a celebration of the creativity that’s made SpongeBob so special for 25 years, and a visual love letter to the imagination of Stephen Hillenburg and everyone who’s brought Bikini Bottom to life,” said Ramsey Naito, President of Paramount Animation. “Every sketch and concept design reminds us how much heart, humor and creativity went into building SpongeBob’s universe. This book is not just an artbook but a portal into 25 years of pure joy and undersea imagination.”

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Art of an Undersea World will be available wherever books are sold on February 17, 2026 (ISBN: 9798887244419) for a list price of $49.99. For more information, visit IDW Publishing.