Surprising Sharks (Read & Wonder) (Hardcover)

by Nicola Davies (Author), James Croft (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
K-Gr. 3. Davies manages to impart a remarkable amount of information about sharks in this picture-book science volume, which emphasizes that sharks come in a variety of shapes and sizes and most are not dangerous. What's more, Croft's bright, humorous artwork (including a great picture of the Australian wobbegong shark sneaking up on a pair of smiling crabs) and the clever layout will make this a first choice for many young children. The double-page spread diagrams showing labeled parts of the shark, inside and outside, are also especially nice. The main text appears in good-size display type, with added tidbits placed around the pages in smaller print. Solid nonfiction on a popular subject for a young age group. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Walker Books Ltd (September 1, 2003)
• ISBN-10: 0744586240
• ISBN-13: 978-0744586244
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,224,494 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jaws ah-plenty, August 9, 2004

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Surprising Sharks (Boston Globe-Horn Book Honors (Awards)) (Hardcover)

Word on the street (which is to say, librarian-based listservs) has it that the book "Surprising Sharks" is incredibly popular these days. Having heard that this book was flying from shelves across the country, garnering the love and respect of thousands of children every day, I thought I'd check it out myself. It's very rare that a non-fiction book becomes overwhelmingly accepted by kids. But when it happens, watch out! It might be all you can do to keep the l'il buggers from reading it day and night and day again.

The book is a clever look at the wide variety of sharks living in ocean waters today. From the tiny sixteen inch cookie-cutter shark (which wins my love on name alone) to the vast twenty-nine foot six inch basking shark, this book has `em all. It includes a variety of amusing factoids in its text, providing copious amounts of useful information. In a well drawn graphic section, the book examines the common properties that all sharks share, both inside and outside the body. Kids reading this book learn about the different parts of the shark and why they're so awfully dangerous. Most interestingly of all, the book makes it perfectly clear that while sharks do kill an average six people a year, people kill an average 100 MILLION sharks a year. The book finishes up with an index of all the sharks in the text (for kids' easy referencing) as well as a bit of shark history to boot.

I was a little sad that author Nicola Davies didn't give any space to a bibliography of sources kids could use to find out more about sharks and their ways. Still, that's small potatoes. Davies certainly seems to have plumbed every last bit of interesting information about sharks she could find. I mean, who knew that the gel-filled pits in a sharks nose detect the electrical messages in a prey's body? Or that latern sharks have light making organs that help them blend into the silvery surface of the water around them? News to me! Illustrator James Croft gives the book an easy-going cartoonish feel that doesn't particularly add much to the book, but neither does it detract. The book's brightly colored and amusing. Just not particularly original in that respect.

If you need a good non-fiction picture book that'll give some of the more scientifically minded kiddies the thrills they seek (and frankly, what kid isn't interested in man-eating animals with big nasty teeth?) "Surprising Sharks" is your best bet. It's not gory, but it'll certain give some kids the thrill of fear they seek in their non-fic lit. An enterprising and engaging book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My four year old LOVES it, July 30, 2007

By	Kelly A. Fisher "educator mom" (Davison, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Surprising Sharks: Read and Wonder (Paperback)

Since our first reading, my four year old daughter loves this book. She giggles at the humor and Nicola Davies wonderful use of her craft. A wonderful literary non-fiction choice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Shark Book! , March 6, 2005

By	Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Surprising Sharks (Boston Globe-Horn Book Honors (Awards)) (Hardcover)

This book is great for kids who love sharks. It is sassy, funny and breezy. I recommend it.