School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Illustrated with full-page, full-color photographs, this highly readable title explains basic facts of shark life and elaborates on the diversity of different species. Clear comparisons are made with real-life objects; readers learn that some sharks are so small that they can be held in the palm of the hand while others are longer than a pickup truck. Concepts and new vocabulary are explained in context with a pronunciation guide for harder words in parentheses. Common misconceptions are also considered: humans are more likely to be hit by lightning than killed by a shark. A discussion of the need to protect the animals' habitat includes the fact that "people have killed more than half of all the sharks in the world."-Kathleen Meulen, Blakely Elementary School, Bainbridge Island, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Underwater photographs, dominated by dark blue and black, depict sharks in their ocean habitat. The simple beginning-reader text draws attention to sharks' size, sharp teeth, and sometimes startling eating habits. A few unnecessary and difficult to decipher pronunciation guides interrupt the text and nudge readers to pronounce words phonetically: ""(Say it like this: CAR-til-idj.) (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
K-Gr. 2. With dramatic photographs provided by the Wildlife Conservation Society, this I Can Read book includes more than the usual deliciously shivery shark-attack stories. There are also some fascinating facts about how sharks use their senses and how they find their prey. The short sentences are clear and informative, and photos, including a few close-ups, contrast the blue-green of the ocean habitat with the brown of the polluted shallow waters where people dump oil and trash. Kids will want to talk about the role of predators in nature and the need to stop hunting sharks and polluting their nurseries; the picture of a shark caught in a net helps reinforce the conservation message. --Hazel Rochman Copyright 2005 Booklist