In this riveting true adventure tale and informative guide to the sea, master storyteller Peter Benchley drew on more than four decades of diving experience to bring us face-to-face with the array of sharks and other marine animals he and his family encountered, almost always on purpose—but sometimes by accident.
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8–Benchley writes about his personal experiences with sharks as well as a variety of other sea creatures considered dangerous to humans. Filming for the movie Jaws and television programs such as "The American Sportsman," the author traveled to the Great Barrier Reef in search of great white sharks, Vancouver Island for killer whales, and Polynesia for hammerheads. He describes being four inches from the jaws of a great white that bit into the cage's rope and thrashed it violently, nearly severing him from his lifeline. Menacing encounters with morays, barracudas, and manta rays are just as engaging and relay all that is awesome and beautiful about these creatures. Philosophical asides about humans' attempt to manipulate nature are not too heavy-handed and will help foster a healthy respect for the sea. A conversational section about swimming safety warns readers about undertows, rips, and death-gripping currents. A centerfold of black-and-white photos is included. Benchley's anecdotal style and gory details result in a page-turner for middle readers.–Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
Gr. 5-8. Benchley draws upon four decades of diving and studying ocean creatures in these insights and lessons about sharks. He goes to great lengths to counter the common misperception of sharks as aggressive predators of human beings, which is ironic given that Benchley's best-selling adult novel, Jaws, has probably done more than anything to perpetuate that very myth. Benchley shares many anecdotes of his personal encounters with sharks, including the Great White, in stories that are always exciting and sometimes terrifying. In addition to the anecdotes, he offers practical advice to readers on how to swim safely in the ocean and how to avoid shark attacks and potentially dangerous encounters with other sea creatures. Since Benchley writes from personal experience and observation, this probably won't supply students with report material, but it is an engaging, frequently exciting recounting of one man's fascinating adventures in the ocean. A glossary is included. Ed Sullivan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Richie's Picks: SHARK LIFE,
By Richie Partington "Richie's Picks" (Sebastopol, CA United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Shark Life: True Stories About Sharks & the Sea (Hardcover)
SHARK LIfe is exceptionally entertaining and enlightening nonfiction for young adults. Benchley (the author of JAWS) moves back and forth between recounting his own heart-stopping adventures in the sea (sometimes purposely swimming with sharks and other deadly creatures, sometimes accidentally encountering them), and his simple and clear explanations of how man's interference with the balance of the world's oceans has already resulted in some dying regions. He cautions how further degradation of the seas will eventually threaten man's existence on the planet.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
First-person adventure - and shark science - at its best,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shark Life: True Stories About Sharks & the Sea (Hardcover)
Though intended for a young adult audience, Shark Life: True Stories About Sharks & The Sea is too good not to recommend for adults, as well - especially given all the news about shark attacks. Benchley, best known for his novel JAWS and the movies which erupted from it, here draws on over four decades of diving experience to explore sharks and other animals he's encountered. From touching encounters to presumptions and near-disastrous mistakes, Shark Life is first-person adventure - and shark science - at its best.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book!,
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Shark Life: True Stories About Sharks & the Sea (Hardcover)
I think this is a great book because the author makes it more than just your regular boring book full of facts. He was one of the few authors to get me to read a whole book with out getting bored. He fills the book with his real life experiences and even some safety tips. This usually isn't the type of topic I usually prefer, but this was different. He shows the other side of sharks other than just the mean, full of teeth, side. He tells you about what sharks he has been around, and which ones to watch out for. I think what makes it such a good book is that his experiences are filled with action and suspense. I've learned that most shark attacks are just accidents, and they are done after a test bits. However that test bite might just be enough to become fatal. With his book I'm going to feel safe next time I get into the water because now I have a general idea on how the water works and when a good time to get in the water, or even how far I should go out. I even got to learn more about one of my favorite animals, the great white shark. I would definitely recommend this book to all types of readers.
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- Shark Sense; Getting in Touch With Your Inner Shark by Sharkie Zartman on page 2
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