If Sharks Disappeared (If Animals Disappeared) - Hardcover

Williams, Lily

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 162672413X ISBN 13: 9781626724136

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2017

Synopsis

Handpicked by Amazon kids’ books editor, Seira Wilson, for Prime Book Box – a children’s subscription that inspires a love of reading.

A healthy ocean is home to many different kinds of animals. They can be
big, like a whale,
tiny, like a shrimp,
and even scary, like a shark.

Even though sharks can be scary, we need them to keep the oceans healthy. Unfortunately, due to overfishing, many shark species are in danger of extinction, and that can cause big problems in the oceans and even on land.

What would happen if this continued and sharks disappeared completely?

Artist Lily Williams explores how the disappearance would affect other animals across the whole planet in this clever book about the importance of keeping sharks, and our oceans, healthy.

About this title

About the Author:

Lily Williams grew up in Northern California. She received her B.F.A. with high distinction from California College of the Arts. Lily seeks to inspire change, engage audiences, and educate people of all ages with her artwork. Her work can be seen in film, books, and on the web. If Sharks Disappeared is her first children's book.

From School Library Journal:

K-Gr 2—Young audiences learn conservation vocabulary and concepts through an illustrated examination of what might happen if sharks were to become extinct. A brown-skinned girl in a boat acts as a guide for this predictive exercise. She first introduces sharks as part of a healthy ocean, then describes the ways in which sharks influence our ecosystem. In accessible language that doesn't shy away from scientific terminology, the book lays out the path of the trophic cascade that might result from a complete shark extinction. Vibrant seascapes full of movement and a diverse array of underwater flora and fauna contrast sharply with spreads of an ocean choked with algae and devoid of wildlife and plants. Ending on a hopeful note that reaffirms the importance of sharks and downplays their scary reputation, Williams appends additional information on threats to sharks, suggestions for child-appropriate actions to take, and an author's note. A former animator, Williams offers illustrations that balance scientific accuracy with a familiar and appealing cartoon quality. Text color and placement and variations in page layout provide plenty of variety and visual interest but may slow down read-alouds. VERDICT While the future is impossible to predict, Williams presents a scientifically grounded view of a world without sharks that should spark discussion and inspire action in budding ecologists. A terrific addition to any school or public library.—Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN

About this edition

• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 162672413X
• ISBN 13: 9781626724136
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Williams Lily