Surprising Sharks (Boston Gobe-Horn Book Honors (Awards)) - Hardcover

Davies, Nicola

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763621854 ISBN 13: 9780763621858

Publisher: Candlewick, 2003

Synopsis

Why does a swell shark blow up like a party balloon? What does a lantern shark use its built-in lights for? Full of fun facts, here’s a surprising book about sharks that kids can really get their teeth into.

"SHAAAARRRKK!" That’s probably the last word anyone wants to hear while swimming in the warm blue sea. But most sharks aren’t at all what people expect. In fact, those who think all sharks are giant, man-eating killers are in for a surprise! The compelling narrative, colorful illustrations, and captivating facts in SURPRISING SHARKS reveal that sharks come in all shapes and sizes - and probably should be more afraid of humans than we are of them.

About this title

About the Author:

Nicola Davies, a zoologist and author of such books as WILD ABOUT DOLPHINS, ONE TINY TURTLE, and BAT LOVES THE NIGHT, has a special love of the sea. She has seen basking sharks off the coast of England and once came face to face with a shark while she was snorkeling - a baby spotted dogfish about the size of a sardine. Since sharks have been on Earth a lot longer than humans, she feels they deserve our respect and protection. She lives in Somerset, England.

James Croft has always enjoyed drawing sharks and finds that their teeth, speed, and the sense of danger they evoke fuel his imagination like no other creature. The illustrator of numerous books for children, including the Brand New Readers MOUSE HAS FUN and MOUSE GOES OUT by Phyllis Root, James Croft lives and works in London.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 1-3-The major premise of this book is that sharks vary greatly in size and shape. The front and back endpapers capture the dwarf lantern shark at just 6 inches in length, the whale shark measuring more than 39 feet, and many other species between these extremes. Although in some cases the colorful acrylic-and-pastel pictures show slightly anthropomorphized creatures, readers can glean their basic anatomical features. Varying print size emphasizes concepts and creates drama and aesthetic interest. The text highlights unusual features of lesser-known sharks, and two spreads show internal and external similarities among all sharks. The book is chock-full of fascinating information about "sharkish" behavior, which for only 3 of the 500 types of sharks includes attacking humans with any regularity. Davies concludes with a notion that these animals have much more to fear from humans than vice versa. Although many of today's young shark enthusiasts insist on full-color photographs, the attractiveness of the typefaces, the anatomical diagrams, and the interesting facts presented here should help this title make a splash.
Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0763621854
• ISBN 13: 9780763621858
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Croft James